When the We-TV episode “Born to Breed” was aired I posted a heads-up about it (thanks to a We-TV publicist) a few hours before it went on-air. Without cable, our family wasn’t able to view it. Perhaps your family is in the same situation, or maybe you just missed the show, but if you have high-speed internet the Jeubs (one of the families interviewed) has compiled the six installments available for viewing on youtube. You can find their handy collection here.

I haven’t watched it yet (I’m hoping to view it tonight with my husband), so I can’t share any commentary. But if you’d like, let me know if you caught the show when it aired, or what you think after you’ve watched the youtube videos.

I just found out about a new online directory that lists quiverfull families according to location. It’s members only, and all applications are approved by the site owner. I just submitted my application, and think it sounds like there’s a lot of potential for reaching out to other families within our geographic areas (we all know it can be isolating at times!)

Anyways, if you want to check it out, it’s at: http://www.arrowcollectors.com

Maybe you and your family (and me and mine) can be enjoying a QF bbq/picnic/afternoon tea sooner than you think! I’m excited!

Please share the news as you are able (if you have a blog, please link up), the more we spread the news the more likely it is that we’ll be able to find like-minded friends nearby in the future!

Some of my fondest memories of childhood are the romping and cuddling times that we shared with our parents and siblings.  Some evenings we’d climb into my parents bed and play – we’d tickle Mom and Dad, much to their protest, snuggle tight and have our heads scratched, laugh, and enjoy time together as a family.

In the wild, fallen world in which we live, life can seem chaotic – even when we’re small.  Compounding that sense of chaos is our own relative inability to control our own environments as little people (as if we ever truly can!)  The family is a safe haven, a safe port when the ocean waves are roaring around you.  My sweetest, safest, most joy-filled moments of childhood revolve around this time of togetherness, it’s a great gift that my parents have given to me, and I’m determined to pass the experience on to my own children.

Today you can find our family sharing the same fun-filled romps – tickling, tossing, trapping, hugging, pouncing, and so on.  It’s my hope that these times together will lay a firm foundation for an ongoing relationship of love, comfort and reassurance.  Have you been pounced yet today?

Okay ladies, here’s the low-down, we don’t get television reception of any kind, but apparently WE tv is airing an episode in their “Secret Lives of Women” series tonight at 10 p.m. (not sure about time-zones, so if you’d like to watch check into it) about the Quiverfull movement.

Entitled “Born to Breed” (ugh, oversimplification much?), three different mothers will be interviewed and profiled, as well as author Kathryn Joyce, author of the book Quiverfull (I understand it’s written from the point-of-view of a woman who is studying cultural trends, not as a fellow believer).

That normally would put me on guard somewhat, but as there are some somewhat well-known Quiverfull moms appearing on the show as well, I’m thinking it will likely be a balanced presentation.

You can find the details and some clips from the show here.  If you get a chance to watch the show, can you let me know what you think, and how it was?

I just learned that November is also National Adoption Month.  Our family has a heart for adoption, and though our current living space won’t allow for an adoption to take place, we long for the day when God will add some precious blessings to our family through this avenue.

My blogging friend Celee at Miscellaneous Musings of a 5x Mom is posting about adoption from a Christian perspective on her blog throughout the month, and has already written some excellent posts there.  Some of my favourites are a listing of adoption books she wouldn’t be without and her personal thoughts on them, and you won’t want to miss a short version of her adoption journey here.

She writes a great blog, so you’ll want to check back in throughout the month for more posts in this vein!

Our family has been investigating the names of God and His Son lately.  This is a question that came up for me a year ago, but it wasn’t until this past month that we really spent some time together as a family (well, Larry and I) researching the topic.  As a result of our findings, and the names of God found in the original languages our family has begun referring to God as Yahweh, and His son as Yeshua – though we do some switching back and forth as our children are familiar with the anglicized Latin translation of their names.  Now, as a blogger I’ve continued to use the common English translations/titles God and Jesus.

I have a quick question for my readers.  Would you feel comfortable and know who I’m talking about if I use the original names of God?  Why or why not?  Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Should Christians celebrate Halloween, or not?

Some of my faithful readers may be familiar with my involvement in witchcraft and the occult prior to God saving me, and the blood of Jesus being applied on my account.  As such, the debate concerning whether or not Christians should celebrate Halloween – a festivity with roots in the Celtic pagan traditions – is close to my heart.

Though I wasn’t planning on participating whole-heartedly in the debates this year, when Lisa Metzer contacted me regarding my personal feelings on the topic as an ex-witch, I was happy to comply.  She has carefully compiled my responses with that of an ex-wiccan along with her own research on the topic, and I strongly recommend that any believer questioning the appropriateness of this celebration for their holiday read it.

You can find her excellent post here.

Enjoy, and may God bless and keep you.

Larry likes to mix things up a bit with our family devotions, and we’re changing things up again!  It’s a very exciting transition though, and very homeschooly – if there’s such a word!  We’ve read through all of Genesis and Exodus over the past half-year, dug around in a story bible, drawn lots of pictures, and now we’re going to start again in the creation week with 106 Days of Creation Studies from Simply Charlotte Mason.  I recently reviewed this title at Eclectic Homeschool Online here.  We are all going through it together, and are looking forward to studying science through the scriptures (once I assemble some materials of course).

For over a decade the UN ranked Canada as the world’s best country to live in.  I think we’re currently fourth on the list, but I wouldn’t live anywhere else (unless God led our family there, of course).

We’re blessed with a universal health care system, benevolent democratic government, freedom to homeschool, freedom to homebirth, freedom to work for ourselves, and most importantly – freedom to follow Jesus.

Canada is now 142 years old as of yesterday – a very young country, but one where Christians can live peaceably and openly practice our faith.  I pray our country remains safe and free for many years to come – God keep our land glorious and free!

What do think about when you read headlines about economic hardships, natural disasters, and politically charged conflict? Circumstances like these set families and entire communities reeling, and few people are affected as profoundly as the children involved. How do the littlest victims cope with the changes and uncertainty around them? And what can the church do to reach out specifically to these little ones?

Group Publishing, the premier publishers of children’s Bible curriculum including Sunday school and VBS, believes that some of the best ministers to children experiencing disaster and hardship are other children.  That’s why they have created a program called Operation Kid-to-Kid (OK2K), which partners with nondenominational Christian ministries like International Bible Society and World Vision to provide opportunities for children in North America to share God’s love with other children in difficult or disastrous situations. Since its inception ten years ago, Operation Kid-to-Kid projects have impacted millions of kids all over the world.

“Operation Kid-to-Kid is a great way to teach kids compassion and service,” says Joani Schultz, cofounder of Group and OK2K. “Children learn by doing. It’s one thing to drop a nickel in the offering plate, but when kids make a gift with their own hands, when they can be creative and personal, this leaves a real impression on both the givers and the receivers.”

This year’s OK2K project features two easy to make (no sewing required) Comfort Critters—small plush turtles with a sewn in pocket for exchanging pictures or notes of encouragement and hope. After they make the turtles, each child will keep one and send the other to a child in need. With a cute little turtle as a friendly and safe messenger, children will understand and communicate Christian compassion and the hope of Jesus. . . and they’ll have fun doing it. Group offers many other resources for OK2K initiatives, including an affordable booklet entitled The Survivors: For Kids in Tough Places.

Over the years, OK2K has become one of the largest forces mobilizing children in serving other children around the world through gifts of school supplies, Bibles, hygiene kits, Christmas gifts, Bible coloring books, and socks and shoes. Between recent natural disasters and the global economic crisis, there are more opportunities than ever for children to show the love of Christ to other children—and not just for a VBS event. Operation Kid-to-Kid can mobilize service projects any time of the year.

Group is also starting a new venture between OK2K and Lifetree Adventures, an organization that combines unique vacations with meaningful service projects. This new venture will be the “follow through” option for those who feel called to take the VBS OK2K effort to the next level. For 2009, Operation Kid-to-Kid will sponsor a trip to New Orleans for children’s leaders to deliver the Comfort Critter turtles to Katrina victims.

“There is still much to be done in New Orleans after the nation’s largest natural disaster. You saw the horror of Hurricane Katrina where over 1,500 people died,” says Group VBS Senior Editor Jody Brolsma. “But did you know Christians have led the way, quietly rebuilding and cleaning up after the disaster? Now you can help minister to the children of the 7^th Ward, where flooding caused massive destruction. Take your passion for Jesus to kids who have lived through challenging times.”

This trip is open to adult volunteers, but space is very limited. Service activities will include painting, cleanup, and repair of a volunteer center and homes in the 7^th Ward and connecting with kids after school.

Plan now to connect with Jody and reach out with love to the kids and families of New Orleans, November 8-13, 2009. Visit www.lifetreeadventures.com or call 1.800.747.2157 to review the itinerary and reserve your trip.