Update on the Witvoets

UPDATE: Red Cross is putting the family up at a hotel in Murfreesboro, TN for a few days, while they try to get things sorted. The family is still in shock, but they are praising God for His mercy in sparing their lives.

Here are the before and after photos that Gerrit's sister just sent me:

BEFORE

 

AFTER

If you would like to send a card and /or gift, please send it to the address below:

Gerrit and Angi Witvoet

PO Box 57

Auburntown, TN 37016

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND PRAYERS!!!

Here are their clothing sizes, for those that asked:
Boy pants- 12, 16, 30/34, 34/36
Boy shirts- 12, 16, Men's Small, Medium, and Large
Boy Shoes- 6, 10, 13, 14, 11
Girls Dress- 4, 6, 10/12
Girls Shoes- All three of them wear size 8-1/2 or 9

Prayers for the Witvoet family

This morning we were grieved to hear that our very dear friends, the Witvoet family in Murfreesboro TN, lost their house to a fire last night. As devastated as they must be right now, they are praising God for His mercy in sparing their lives and their 6 children. Angie had the presence of mind to grab her purse on the way out the door, and the children rescued their dogs and parrots, but they lost everything else-- including the keys to their truck.

Although no official report has been released, the Witvoets believe the fire to have started in their newly-purchased wood stove.

Some of my friends have requested that I set up a Pay Pal account to donate money to these precious friends, as they try to re-build their lives after this great loss. If you would like to contribute, you may do so here, on my blog. Or if you would rather send them a card/gift, I will update this post tomorrow with mailing info.

But most of all, we would appreciate your prayers.Our God is a very present help in trouble.

The Witvoets with our Joanna (6 years ago)

Lie #10: The Duggars and Overpopulation

In a recent blog post, Cindy Dyer did a stellar job debunking 9 lies that fuel D.D.S. (Duggar Deranged Syndrome) Each lie was carefully examined, then tossed out the proverbial window, culminating in the biggest lie of all; hatred for Christ that results in hatred for those who love Him.

But, as wonderful as her post was, she forgot one of the biggest issues that surround Duggar hatred. So, I give you...

Lie # 10: Overpopulation! Despite the fact that the entire world populace could live inside the State of Virginia, we are constantly being fed the lie that we must avoid overpopulation at all cost. Vivid images of Hong Kong during rush hour will strike fear into the hearts of the gullible; but the information is intentionally misleading. There is much of rural China that could host an overflow of city folk, if they had the desire and/or freedom to leave.


But at the heart of this lie is a battle that we face everyday for the sanctity of human life. Whose job is it choose who should live, or who should die? When his beloved Rachel demanded children of the Patriarch Jacob, his anger was kindled against her as he replied, "Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?" (Genesis 30:1-3)

Throughout Scripture, we are plainly taught that God opens the womb; God closes the womb; and one of God's greatest blessings is the gift of children.

So, I ask: Of the 19 gifts under the Duggar tree; which ones are not fit to live? Which ones should they send back? Line up the whole tribe and tell them which ones they should not have! Could you do it? Are you God?

"But," you protest, "there are millions of orphans in the world. Why don't the Duggars just adopt, if they love kids so much?"

As noble as this question sounds, and as much as I love families who adopt, at the heart of this objection is a denial of the sanctity of human life. As Cindy pointed out so well in the comment section of her post, "You are saying that the existence of millions of orphans denies my children the right to life!" That mindset is completely wrong! Who draws the line at how many children we can "rightfully" have? You? The government? Or God?

If your answer was "You," then leave the Duggars alone and let them decide for themselves! If your answer was "The Government," then leave the Duggars alone, because you've got BIGGER problems looming! If your answer was "God," then I'm preaching to the choir and you already love the Duggars to death for their commitment to Him.
 
Define Irony:

“The Bible calls debt a curse and children a blessing. But our culture applies for curses and rejects blessings.” ~Doug Phillips

Related Posts:
"Why the World Hates the Duggars" at Get Along Home
"It Takes a Family" (December 09, 2011)
"The Fruit of the Womb is His Reward" (February 4, 2010)

It Takes a... FAMILY

In our town, not far from where we worship, there is a church which proudly displays the quote best known as the title of Hillary Clinton's book, "It Takes a Village to raise a child."

As noble as this quote sounds; taking each of us back in time to the days when life was simpler, work was harder, and families were more intimately connected to each other-- the modern use of this slogan has nothing to do with "the good old days."

I've been contemplating this quote for several weeks, so I was pleasantly surprised when Cindy Dyer used it as Lie #2 in her recent blog post, "Why the World hates the Duggars."

Lie 2: It takes a village. We have been trained by our own experiences with socialized education to believe that children are impossible to handle without the help of professionals. No one family can do it all or pay for it all. In fact, having children in the care of their own parents twenty-four hours a day is the weirdest thing imaginable in our brave new world. And yet, here are the Duggars daring to leave that system we’ve so carefully arranged “for the children” to fend for themselves. Worse, it’s working!

 Whoa! Pause; Stop; And Rewind! Is that what it means to be a village? Removing kids from parental responsibility and handing them over for "professionals" to raise? Enabling parents to live their own lives while their children fend for themselves? Somehow, that doesn't fit the cozy scenario of village life that I always got from watching "Little House on the Prairie." So I had to consult dictionary.com

vil*lage (noun)

a small community or group of houses in a rural area, larger than a hamlet and usually smaller than a town

So that makes me wonder: what did Senator Clinton mean when she used this quote as her title? 

"I chose that old African proverb to title my book because it offers a timeless reminder that children will thrive only if their families thrive and if the whole of society cares enough to provide for them..." (Clinton's Speech; DNC, 1996)

Anyone else confused? Well, I'll explain. The word village now means the "whole of society." Right. And the word miniscule must mean monstrous; and tiny means enormous! *sarcastic tone* Who needs that stuffy village anyway? We have big brother government!

As noble as her title sounds, it is completely misleading. She is not referring to an intimate group of people that actually care about a child's well-being. Rather, her village is extensive, and cold, and callous. It doesn't care about individuals-- but the mass collective. Does that sound like a village to you?

But this is what confuses me most: people bash the Duggar family all the time, with unbelievable venom, accusing them of not being able to give enough one-on-one attention to each child. But many of the same people have no qualms about dropping their defenseless child off at a daycare where they are placed in a room with 35 other kids the same age. Does that sound like one-on-one attention? Ah, but the teachers are "professionals" so they don't bat an eye! (Maybe someone should inform Mrs. Clinton that in a few years the Duggars may be able to qualify for their very own village! Will that stop the hate-speech? I doubt it.)

From the beginning of time, God has ordained that parents be responsible for their own children.

It does not take a village to raise a child... It takes a family.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deu 6:6-7

Related posts:

"Why the World Hates the Duggars" at Get Along Home.
The Fruit of the Womb is His Reward  (Feb 2012)

In a few years, the Duggars could have their own village!

When There's Nothing Else to Say...

Almost two years ago I started this blog as an outlet for my thoughts. I should have known better. Despite all my attempts in my youth, I was never able to keep a journal for more than 3 days at a time, so I guess this wildly-sporadic blog has been a vast improvement, but I think it's time to say "goodbye."

I have used this blog to share my thoughts, voice my opinions, and chronicle events in my life-- but the harder I try, the less I have to say. Not that I'm at a loss for words; but I'm increasingly convicted of how meaningless my words are. 

Words are easy... and they're cheap.

To be perfectly honest, my life does not back up the words I say. While I may have great ideas regarding child-training, I am not consistent in my parenting. I have strong convictions regarding doctrinal issues, but I sadly lack self-discipline in almost every area of my life. And though I have no qualms about giving advice, I do not have the humility to receive it from others. 

Loathing, as I do, the hypocrisy in my life; and desiring, above all, to be an unashamed witness for my Lord, I beg your prayers, that I would be fully conformed to the image of Christ. He bore unspeakable agony for my soul, and yet I balk and complain about tiny crosses in my life. In desperation, I pray...

Father, I want to know Thee, but my coward heart fears to give up its toys. 

I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, 

and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. 

I come trembling, but I do come. 

Please root from my heart all Those things which I have cherished so long 

and which have become a very part of my living self, 

so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival. 

Then shalt Thou make the place of Thy feet glorious. 

Then shall my heart have no need of the sun to shine in it,
for Thyself wilt be the light of it, and there shall be no night there.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

~A.W. Tozer (The Pursuit of God)

Ah-Ha Moment #1

Freezer Froggie:

When Freddie the Frog first came to us, he was just your ordinary beanie baby. Cute and loveable, for an amphibean, he was also soft, furry, and filled with squishy beads. Felicity fell in love!!! Pretty soon, the two were inseperable, until the day I found "Freddie the Frog" freezing in the fridge. So I called Felicity, "Why is your froggie in the fridge?"

Her smile was priceless as she squeezed her furry friend, "He was hot, Mama." Instantly, her grin widened as she felt his cool body, "See, he feels much better now." The next thing I knew, she was placing him against my skin. I was surprised at how cool he was, so I put him against my forehead. The headache that had been nagging me all day was abated. That's when the moment hit me! My "Ah-ha moment", that is.

I've worked in day care, babsat, and taught school; I've been around children all my life. And, with children, come all the inevitable bumps and bruises of everyday life. But, although each school/day care has their own way of handling minor injuries, I've never seen a cold-pack that kids like.

As Felicity trotted off to play, I tossed Freddie into the freezer. Later that day, his services were required for the first time. Of course, Felicity was the victim. As I pressed her cold friend to her forehead, Felicity smiled, then laughed outright and hugged him onto her bo-bo. In a few seconds she was good as new and Freddie returned to the freezer for another day.

Now the girls get him down by themselves to "fix" their sisters. I'll hear a bump and a cry from the playroom, followed by feet running down the hall as someone yells dramatically over their shoulder, "I'm going to get the frog!" Quietly, I resume my work because I know that, unless it's really serious, Freddie will make everything OK.  

His official name is Smoocy, but we call him, Freddie the Frog



So... What Next?

It's been a long time since my last post, almost 2 months, to my chagrin. Meanwhile, my blog got mad at me for the neglecting abuse and decided to stop posting my pictures, even the old ones. But, just when I was about to lay to rest the blogger in me, my new-found friend from Get Along Home encouraged me to keep going. So, even if the rest of you are bored to tears by my feeble attempts at blogging, I will succumb to peer pressure and keep persevering... at least for a little while.

As many of you probably know, the past few months have been absorbed with my drama club. We're part of a homeschool co-op that meets weekly for various classes and activities. As a very amateur drama/theater enthusiast, I wrote and directed a medieval play for our group this year. What a blast! The kids were fabulous and the audience was enchanted.

But now the play is over. =( And I'm experiencing what has been rightly described as let-down. All the long hours and sleepless nights are catching up to me and, since I have no adrenaline left to keep me going, I'm not getting all the *stuff* done that I had hoped.

So, I now have three six goals for the summer:

1. Get back on a good sleeping schedule
2. Improve my eating habits
3. Exercise faithfully
4. Take control of the house
5. Have a yard sale
6. Try to improve this blog a bit (er... a lot)

Meanwhile, I get to dream about the next production... (whenever that may be)



My wonderfully, awesome CAST and CREW!!!