Thursday, December 24, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Friday, August 14, 2009
And a Child Shall Lead Them
John 6:8-9 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"
Seeing life through the eyes of a child can teach each of us a thing or two about standing on God's promises.
In this story Andrew obviously thought that the child's lunch was insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But Jesus took what was offered and performed a miracle.
Children have a special way of viewing life. They always tend to see the glass half full rather than half empty. Their outlook is always unlimited and free. We can learn alot from our children and their view of life.
They teach us that even a small gift when placed in God's hands can be multipled into something more than we could ever imagine.
Learn more about Cheryl Lacey Donovan at www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com
Seeing life through the eyes of a child can teach each of us a thing or two about standing on God's promises.
In this story Andrew obviously thought that the child's lunch was insignificant in the grand scheme of things. But Jesus took what was offered and performed a miracle.
Children have a special way of viewing life. They always tend to see the glass half full rather than half empty. Their outlook is always unlimited and free. We can learn alot from our children and their view of life.
They teach us that even a small gift when placed in God's hands can be multipled into something more than we could ever imagine.
Learn more about Cheryl Lacey Donovan at www.peaceinthestormpublishing.com
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Cheryl Donovan Nominated for Award
Finally, we would like to ask for your support. Please visit http://www.literaryawardshow.com/voting.html and vote for each of us in our respective categories. You may vote as often as you like.
Thank you so much for your support as we try to bring you the best that African American literature has to offer.
God bless.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Budgeting for the Single Mom... Can It be a Reality
By Candice Pardue
The single mother faces a dilemma like no other. She often asks the questions, "Should I find a career outside the home and leave my children with a sitter or in daycare? or "Should I struggle to work from home with my own business and skills so my children can be home too?"
These are hard questions I've asked myself many times over the years, being a single mother of two sons. These questions are legitimate, however, since many homes are broken, and without any parents home to raise the children, the children can feel neglected. Who's going to take care of their needs? I realize daycare is the "popular" solution, but leaving them all day long with strangers is not a good feeling. I've done it, and it wasn't pleasant for me or my children. Having a personal sitter is a little better, but no one can replace a parent. That's a fact.
What does this have to do with budgeting, you might ask?
Budgeting is something that is very neglected in many homes (especially with a single mother). The reason it is neglected is because usually the single mother is living on a low income and right on the edge at all times! This is sad, but true. When you combine the low income reality with the other stresses of motherhood, it makes sense that budgeting is far from her mind. Think about it - one woman handling the finances, caring for the children, putting up with stress at work, cleaning the home, washing the clothes, making sure breakfast, lunch and supper (and a snack if she can afford it) are all available to the family every day, along with training the children in the way they should go. These are a lot of responsibilities for one woman to handle.
Budgeting, then, gets put on the back burner, when it could be the very thing that could relieve stress for the mother and help the kids' every need be met.
One More Thing Before We Budget
The Internet has opened the doors wide for single mothers to use their talents and skills to work from home. Starting a business has never been easier and "cheaper". With online resources and a little extra cash, you can have a business up and running in no time, and call it your own. I've had the privilege to own and operate my own business for a little over 5 years now. Have I been able to stay home with my children all these years? No.
While I was building the business, I worked and used some of my earned money to start and promote the business. Also, in between, I worked for a couple of companies from my home doing odds and ends work such as transcription, writing and coding. I am working at home full time right now, and have been for the past year. I do understand the struggle we mothers face.
As you can see, the Internet can help you to get home with your children in the long run if this is your goal. It opens up many opportunities to work from home for other people as well. Even if you could work for several different companies part time at home, it might be worth it. Daycare isn't getting any cheaper!
Budgeting Can Help You Reach Your Goals Even if You Don't Have Much
The one thing that has helped me to gain victory over financial stress and be able to stay home is learning to budget. I found that if I budget properly, I don't really need much money to live and support my children. I have successfully supported us on very little for years, and we've never went without!
If you never budget, you will never reach your goals. The purpose of budgeting is not only to reach financial goals or to pay your bills, but also to relieve financial stress. Budgeting lets you know how you're spending your money and how you can improve your standard of living. A nice home, car, food on the table, nice clothes - all of these are desirable to any woman, but they might not be reachable until you begin budgeting. Realize that you can control your money instead of your money controlling you.
Why You Should Budget
The main reason you should budget is to relieve your financial stress. There's nothing more stressful than not knowing where you stand with your own money. Have you ever stood in line at a grocery store and then realized you didn't have enough money to pay for the groceries, or perhaps left your checkbook at home? Were you embarrassed? This has happened to me a couple of times, and was not a pretty picture.
Now, think for a moment about how you feel at the end of each month when all of your money is gone, and you still have bills due - or need groceries for the family. This is the type of stress that most single mothers have each month, and sometimes every day.
Budgeting will help to relieve this stress. When you know exactly where your money is being spent, and how much you have to the penny, there's no reason to be stressed. You're doing all that you "can" do, and you're not to blame if there's not quite enough. This doesn't mean that you're not responsible for the bills, but the guilt you would experience if you wasted your money will disappear, and then you can find a workable solution. You might find that there IS enough if you'll take the simple steps below...
Steps to Begin Budgeting Your Money:
1. Take Inventory of Your Finances
Sit down (several hours if needed) and take a personal inventory of your finances. Write down your income, and then write down every single item, service, food, etc. you purchase each month. Include your monthly mortgage or rent, car payment, etc. Every penny counts.
2. Eliminate the Unnecessary
I know it's tempting to stop by the local convenience store and buy a drink and a candy bar for a "couple of dollars", or five bucks if you're buying for the kids too. However, what if you cut out these stops and began buying a pack of drinks at the grocery store instead. You can purchase a 12-pack of generic brand soft drinks and an entire package of candy bars for only $6 or less. This could last an entire week if you have two kids. You've just saved money from the store and satisfied the need for extra drinks and snacks. Do this all year long and figure how much you would save.
Eliminating some things all together won't kill you either. There are some things we can do without - even if we feel we must have them, such as eating out, driving around town too often (gas prices are just too high to drive without a significant reason), buying brand new clothes when the local thrift store will supply the same clothes for less. The list could go on and on, but you get the picture.
Eliminate anything that you can live without for now. This will enable you to discover extra finances to pay your important bills.
3. Re-figure and Eliminate Until you Reach a Reasonable Standard of Living
You might need to write down your finances five to ten times to find a comfortable spot where you can begin budgeting. The goal is to find the place where you have enough to pay your bills and a little extra for savings. You might think it's impossible to save, but even if you can save a couple of dollars a week, it's better than not saving at all. Think about yours and your children's future.
What if I've eliminated everything possible and still don't have enough?
You might need to find a different job or a part time job until you get on your feet. I know it's a sad thought, but it might be necessary (at least for the short term) until you can either lower your living expenses or find a single job earning more.
4. Ready to Budget
Once you've reached your comfortable spot, meaning you now have enough finances to meet the basic needs of your family, you're ready to begin budgeting. Starting a budget was very exciting for me, and it gave me comfort to know that I had full control of my money. Once I began implementing the budget, my stress was greatly lowered.
The great thing about a budget is that it can and should be adjusted every couple of months in the beginning, and then at least once a year after you are stabilized with your finances. Each budget occasion can be a family "event" if your children are old enough to understand. They should be able to see the budget and implement it with every purchase also. This will teach them to budget for their own families when they're older as well. It can be a fun thing!
Are you ready to budget?
Each budget will be different. Yours will be unique to your family, your bills and income. A simple way to budget is to write everything down (expenses vs. income). Total by the month. By expenses, you're including everything from the gas in your car to the stops by the store (if you didn't eliminate them earlier). You're including expenses, small and large. Some expenses will be figured by the yearly amount, and then divided by twelve to get a monthly figure.
Once you have your totals, figure each month according to your pay schedule. If you receive a check weekly, then you would figure how much of your budget will be met each week. To do this, you can multiply your monthly totals by twelve and then divide by fifty-two weeks of the year. This will give you a weekly expense total.
Even though some of your bills are due quarterly or yearly, still budget each month for these in your savings or checking account. When the time comes to pay it, you'll have the money available. This also relieves stress.
I can remember so many times at Christmas, my insurance would also come due on December 21, which was a large bill for me. This would horrify me and throw me into the pit of despair because I didn't have the money to pay it and buy gifts for the kids. Since I began budgeting, however, I do not have the stress any longer. Even during difficult months, I'm able to budget with the future in mind. Even if the money is not here this month, it will be there next month. Looking ahead while budgeting gives you peace of mind instead of stress, whereas, looking ahead while "not" budgeting will leave you desperately seeking extra cash.
There's no way budgeting in its entirety can be covered in one article, so I recommend a book by Ron Blue titled "Master Your Money". This book is quite old, but it helped me tremendously to understand how to budget, with step-by-step instructions and detailed charts to illustrate real life examples of budgeting.
You can locate a copy of the book online by doing a book search. It's normally available used or new for a fairly cheap price. It will be well worth your time.
Conclusion
If you would like to be home with your children and work from home, budgeting can help. It will enable you to discover the exact amount of income you will need. The only way I can stay home is to budget a small amount of money, and form our lifestyle based on this small amount. Any extra that my business earns is a blessing! Also, keep in mind that working from home enables you to save on gas, daycare, clothes, etc.
Give budgeting a try this month. You might find some hidden treasures.
Written by Candice Pardue
The single mother faces a dilemma like no other. She often asks the questions, "Should I find a career outside the home and leave my children with a sitter or in daycare? or "Should I struggle to work from home with my own business and skills so my children can be home too?"
These are hard questions I've asked myself many times over the years, being a single mother of two sons. These questions are legitimate, however, since many homes are broken, and without any parents home to raise the children, the children can feel neglected. Who's going to take care of their needs? I realize daycare is the "popular" solution, but leaving them all day long with strangers is not a good feeling. I've done it, and it wasn't pleasant for me or my children. Having a personal sitter is a little better, but no one can replace a parent. That's a fact.
What does this have to do with budgeting, you might ask?
Budgeting is something that is very neglected in many homes (especially with a single mother). The reason it is neglected is because usually the single mother is living on a low income and right on the edge at all times! This is sad, but true. When you combine the low income reality with the other stresses of motherhood, it makes sense that budgeting is far from her mind. Think about it - one woman handling the finances, caring for the children, putting up with stress at work, cleaning the home, washing the clothes, making sure breakfast, lunch and supper (and a snack if she can afford it) are all available to the family every day, along with training the children in the way they should go. These are a lot of responsibilities for one woman to handle.
Budgeting, then, gets put on the back burner, when it could be the very thing that could relieve stress for the mother and help the kids' every need be met.
One More Thing Before We Budget
The Internet has opened the doors wide for single mothers to use their talents and skills to work from home. Starting a business has never been easier and "cheaper". With online resources and a little extra cash, you can have a business up and running in no time, and call it your own. I've had the privilege to own and operate my own business for a little over 5 years now. Have I been able to stay home with my children all these years? No.
While I was building the business, I worked and used some of my earned money to start and promote the business. Also, in between, I worked for a couple of companies from my home doing odds and ends work such as transcription, writing and coding. I am working at home full time right now, and have been for the past year. I do understand the struggle we mothers face.
As you can see, the Internet can help you to get home with your children in the long run if this is your goal. It opens up many opportunities to work from home for other people as well. Even if you could work for several different companies part time at home, it might be worth it. Daycare isn't getting any cheaper!
Budgeting Can Help You Reach Your Goals Even if You Don't Have Much
The one thing that has helped me to gain victory over financial stress and be able to stay home is learning to budget. I found that if I budget properly, I don't really need much money to live and support my children. I have successfully supported us on very little for years, and we've never went without!
If you never budget, you will never reach your goals. The purpose of budgeting is not only to reach financial goals or to pay your bills, but also to relieve financial stress. Budgeting lets you know how you're spending your money and how you can improve your standard of living. A nice home, car, food on the table, nice clothes - all of these are desirable to any woman, but they might not be reachable until you begin budgeting. Realize that you can control your money instead of your money controlling you.
Why You Should Budget
The main reason you should budget is to relieve your financial stress. There's nothing more stressful than not knowing where you stand with your own money. Have you ever stood in line at a grocery store and then realized you didn't have enough money to pay for the groceries, or perhaps left your checkbook at home? Were you embarrassed? This has happened to me a couple of times, and was not a pretty picture.
Now, think for a moment about how you feel at the end of each month when all of your money is gone, and you still have bills due - or need groceries for the family. This is the type of stress that most single mothers have each month, and sometimes every day.
Budgeting will help to relieve this stress. When you know exactly where your money is being spent, and how much you have to the penny, there's no reason to be stressed. You're doing all that you "can" do, and you're not to blame if there's not quite enough. This doesn't mean that you're not responsible for the bills, but the guilt you would experience if you wasted your money will disappear, and then you can find a workable solution. You might find that there IS enough if you'll take the simple steps below...
Steps to Begin Budgeting Your Money:
1. Take Inventory of Your Finances
Sit down (several hours if needed) and take a personal inventory of your finances. Write down your income, and then write down every single item, service, food, etc. you purchase each month. Include your monthly mortgage or rent, car payment, etc. Every penny counts.
2. Eliminate the Unnecessary
I know it's tempting to stop by the local convenience store and buy a drink and a candy bar for a "couple of dollars", or five bucks if you're buying for the kids too. However, what if you cut out these stops and began buying a pack of drinks at the grocery store instead. You can purchase a 12-pack of generic brand soft drinks and an entire package of candy bars for only $6 or less. This could last an entire week if you have two kids. You've just saved money from the store and satisfied the need for extra drinks and snacks. Do this all year long and figure how much you would save.
Eliminating some things all together won't kill you either. There are some things we can do without - even if we feel we must have them, such as eating out, driving around town too often (gas prices are just too high to drive without a significant reason), buying brand new clothes when the local thrift store will supply the same clothes for less. The list could go on and on, but you get the picture.
Eliminate anything that you can live without for now. This will enable you to discover extra finances to pay your important bills.
3. Re-figure and Eliminate Until you Reach a Reasonable Standard of Living
You might need to write down your finances five to ten times to find a comfortable spot where you can begin budgeting. The goal is to find the place where you have enough to pay your bills and a little extra for savings. You might think it's impossible to save, but even if you can save a couple of dollars a week, it's better than not saving at all. Think about yours and your children's future.
What if I've eliminated everything possible and still don't have enough?
You might need to find a different job or a part time job until you get on your feet. I know it's a sad thought, but it might be necessary (at least for the short term) until you can either lower your living expenses or find a single job earning more.
4. Ready to Budget
Once you've reached your comfortable spot, meaning you now have enough finances to meet the basic needs of your family, you're ready to begin budgeting. Starting a budget was very exciting for me, and it gave me comfort to know that I had full control of my money. Once I began implementing the budget, my stress was greatly lowered.
The great thing about a budget is that it can and should be adjusted every couple of months in the beginning, and then at least once a year after you are stabilized with your finances. Each budget occasion can be a family "event" if your children are old enough to understand. They should be able to see the budget and implement it with every purchase also. This will teach them to budget for their own families when they're older as well. It can be a fun thing!
Are you ready to budget?
Each budget will be different. Yours will be unique to your family, your bills and income. A simple way to budget is to write everything down (expenses vs. income). Total by the month. By expenses, you're including everything from the gas in your car to the stops by the store (if you didn't eliminate them earlier). You're including expenses, small and large. Some expenses will be figured by the yearly amount, and then divided by twelve to get a monthly figure.
Once you have your totals, figure each month according to your pay schedule. If you receive a check weekly, then you would figure how much of your budget will be met each week. To do this, you can multiply your monthly totals by twelve and then divide by fifty-two weeks of the year. This will give you a weekly expense total.
Even though some of your bills are due quarterly or yearly, still budget each month for these in your savings or checking account. When the time comes to pay it, you'll have the money available. This also relieves stress.
I can remember so many times at Christmas, my insurance would also come due on December 21, which was a large bill for me. This would horrify me and throw me into the pit of despair because I didn't have the money to pay it and buy gifts for the kids. Since I began budgeting, however, I do not have the stress any longer. Even during difficult months, I'm able to budget with the future in mind. Even if the money is not here this month, it will be there next month. Looking ahead while budgeting gives you peace of mind instead of stress, whereas, looking ahead while "not" budgeting will leave you desperately seeking extra cash.
There's no way budgeting in its entirety can be covered in one article, so I recommend a book by Ron Blue titled "Master Your Money". This book is quite old, but it helped me tremendously to understand how to budget, with step-by-step instructions and detailed charts to illustrate real life examples of budgeting.
You can locate a copy of the book online by doing a book search. It's normally available used or new for a fairly cheap price. It will be well worth your time.
Conclusion
If you would like to be home with your children and work from home, budgeting can help. It will enable you to discover the exact amount of income you will need. The only way I can stay home is to budget a small amount of money, and form our lifestyle based on this small amount. Any extra that my business earns is a blessing! Also, keep in mind that working from home enables you to save on gas, daycare, clothes, etc.
Give budgeting a try this month. You might find some hidden treasures.
Written by Candice Pardue
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Project Working Mom is Back - $4,000 Monthly College Scholarships for Moms and Dads Too!
Project Working Mom Returns: Each month, eLearners gives away a $4,000 scholarship you can use towards your college education.
• eLearners Scholarship Opportunity for Moms and Dads
• $4,000 Monthly scholarship offer
• Available to both men and women
http://www.elearners.com/projectworkingmom/Scholarships/EntryForm1.aspx?tsource=shrs2&tid=200&key=shrsel17987_Banner
• eLearners Scholarship Opportunity for Moms and Dads
• $4,000 Monthly scholarship offer
• Available to both men and women
http://www.elearners.com/projectworkingmom/Scholarships/EntryForm1.aspx?tsource=shrs2&tid=200&key=shrsel17987_Banner
Monday, May 25, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Speak Life
Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not aggravate your children, or they will become discouraged.
Your words can either make or break your children. Use them to speak life.
Nothing saddens me more than to walk into a room and hear a mother chastising her child by saying things like “Why you so dumb and stupid. You gon’ be like yo sorry daddy;” Or worse yet calling their children everything but a child of God. What do you think will happen if you always call your children bad? It can become a self fulfilling prophecy. Scripture tells us we have the power of life and death in our own tongues and despite the cliché about sticks and stones words do hurt.
If you’ve been harsh with words spoken to your children prayerfully acknowledge your sin and seek forgiveness. Look for opportunities to affirm your children. Catch them doing something right and praise them for it.
What were the last words you spoke to your children today
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Single Christian Mom's Dating
Let’s face it every woman wants a good man. And if she’s a Christian woman she wants a man who loves and fears the Lord. But when you add children to the equation you are left with women who feel forced to do and accept anything just to have a warm body. This however is not how God intended it to be. Read More >>
Don't forget to leave a comment. You could win the prize of the week.
Don't forget to leave a comment. You could win the prize of the week.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Empowered to Prosper in Parenting
Empowered to Prosper in Parenting
By: Cheryl Lacey Donovan
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Empowered to prosper what a wonderful title!
When I was a young single mother it was the empowered to prosper mentality that saw me through.
Being a parent isn’t easy. Add being a teenager and a single mother to the mix and it can quickly become an equation for disaster. But contrary to popular belief children do come with an instruction manual. It’s called the Bible and I used mine every chance I got. Read More at the first stop on the Ministry of Motherhood Virtual Book Tour
By: Cheryl Lacey Donovan
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Empowered to prosper what a wonderful title!
When I was a young single mother it was the empowered to prosper mentality that saw me through.
Being a parent isn’t easy. Add being a teenager and a single mother to the mix and it can quickly become an equation for disaster. But contrary to popular belief children do come with an instruction manual. It’s called the Bible and I used mine every chance I got. Read More at the first stop on the Ministry of Motherhood Virtual Book Tour
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Joys of Motherhood
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some women today think of family life as an unbearable drudgery. Many feminists tell women that they cannot find fulfillment by being wives and mothers, so instead they should leave home and pursue careers. It has gone so far that women who do stay home almost feel inferior and guilty.
But Titus 2:4,5 says that young women should be taught “to love their husbands, to love their children, to be … keepers at home.” Surely it is difficult for young mothers to stay at home and lovingly care for their families. It often requires hard work, tears, and many sacrifices. But excelling at anything worthwhile in life takes hard work.
Consider the joys and rewards of the job. Psalms 127:3 says: “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” What other job produces a final product to compare to that of motherhood: loving children who will someday mature to productive, God-fearing men and women? If women will not sacrifice in their younger years to raise children, they will not have those children and grandchildren to hug their necks, love them, and care for them in their older years.
1 Timothy 5:3,10 says: “Honor widows that...have brought up children…” Years ago, before modern philosophies prevailed, motherhood was an honorable profession. It ought to be the same today. Proverbs 31 includes the following statements: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies … Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her" (verses 10,28).
Let us show our appreciation for our wives and mothers. Let us speak out for the joys of motherhood. May it again become honorable for a woman to be “a joyful mother of chi1dren” – Psalms 113:9.
For further study I encourage the reader to go to www.gospelway.com/instruct/ and study our online article about Biblical principles for raising godly children.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2/5/2005
Some women today think of family life as an unbearable drudgery. Many feminists tell women that they cannot find fulfillment by being wives and mothers, so instead they should leave home and pursue careers. It has gone so far that women who do stay home almost feel inferior and guilty.
But Titus 2:4,5 says that young women should be taught “to love their husbands, to love their children, to be … keepers at home.” Surely it is difficult for young mothers to stay at home and lovingly care for their families. It often requires hard work, tears, and many sacrifices. But excelling at anything worthwhile in life takes hard work.
Consider the joys and rewards of the job. Psalms 127:3 says: “Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” What other job produces a final product to compare to that of motherhood: loving children who will someday mature to productive, God-fearing men and women? If women will not sacrifice in their younger years to raise children, they will not have those children and grandchildren to hug their necks, love them, and care for them in their older years.
1 Timothy 5:3,10 says: “Honor widows that...have brought up children…” Years ago, before modern philosophies prevailed, motherhood was an honorable profession. It ought to be the same today. Proverbs 31 includes the following statements: “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies … Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her" (verses 10,28).
Let us show our appreciation for our wives and mothers. Let us speak out for the joys of motherhood. May it again become honorable for a woman to be “a joyful mother of chi1dren” – Psalms 113:9.
For further study I encourage the reader to go to www.gospelway.com/instruct/ and study our online article about Biblical principles for raising godly children.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2/5/2005
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
What Are Your Goals for Your Children?
What will make you feel successful as a parent? And how do you intend to reach your goals?
If your children get good jobs or even become wealthy, would you be satisfied? If they are popular and have many friends, is that what you want? Would it please you if they become influential civic leaders or politicians? Or would you be happy if they just grow up to be good citizens, have good health, good families, and live like most middle-class Americans? What do you really want for your children?
Suppose they achieve all these things. Matthew 16:26 says: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" If your children do not learn to serve God so they die unprepared to face eternity, would you really be successful as a parent?
In Genesis 18:19 God said that He would bless Abraham, because He knew Abraham would "command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice..." Would God say this about the way you train your children? If just one of your children were to face eternal condemnation because you neglected to teach them about God's will, what worse fate could they suffer?
What should you do to prepare your children, not just for this life, but for eternity? Proverbs 22:6 says: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
For further study I encourage the reader to go to www.gospelway.com/instruct/ and study our online article about Biblical principles for raising godly children.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2/5/2005
If your children get good jobs or even become wealthy, would you be satisfied? If they are popular and have many friends, is that what you want? Would it please you if they become influential civic leaders or politicians? Or would you be happy if they just grow up to be good citizens, have good health, good families, and live like most middle-class Americans? What do you really want for your children?
Suppose they achieve all these things. Matthew 16:26 says: "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" If your children do not learn to serve God so they die unprepared to face eternity, would you really be successful as a parent?
In Genesis 18:19 God said that He would bless Abraham, because He knew Abraham would "command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice..." Would God say this about the way you train your children? If just one of your children were to face eternal condemnation because you neglected to teach them about God's will, what worse fate could they suffer?
What should you do to prepare your children, not just for this life, but for eternity? Proverbs 22:6 says: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
For further study I encourage the reader to go to www.gospelway.com/instruct/ and study our online article about Biblical principles for raising godly children.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2/5/2005
Friday, March 6, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Ann Coulter Said What about Single Mothers
I have posted some of Ann Coulter's comments because I want to make sure that I don't misquote her idiotic comments when I respond. Listen first and then read what I have to say.
Ann Coulter hasn’t written New York Times bestselling books. She’s just had a hell of a publicity machine behind her. In fact, my writing this response further enhances her ultimate goal which is to sell books. It’s not lost on the publishing industry that even trash can sell if you have the right marketing and promotions to back you up. Such is the case with Coulter.
Obviously Coulter has done her research when it comes to single mothers, but, I would be hard pressed to believe she has ever spoken to a single mother one on one?
I was a single mother until my oldest son turned 10. Neither of my two sons ended up as strippers. I never utilized the welfare system and I worked hard to make sure that my boys stayed out of trouble. I had a wonderful support system and I trusted in the God that Coulter professes to know. I was not a victim and I did not respond as such. I took responsibility and held myself accountable for my choices; good or bad. To insinuate that because society wants to help single mothers means that we are glorifying not getting married and raising a full family is insane. Most single mothers would tell you they would love to have a warm, loving, responsible, husband and father in theirs and their children’s lives. In fact, many of them like me were married at one time, but due to domestic violence death and other misfortune, these marriages did not work. I guess next you’ll be telling us that’s our fault, too.
Let’s suffice it to say, if you were ever a victim of a crime, you don’t have this single mother to thank: "Victim of a Crime? Thank a Single Mother"
"It is a mark of how attractive it is to be a phony victim that divorcées will often claim to belong to the more disreputable category of "single mothers." [Page 36]
The audacity of Coulter to call single mothers disreputable! The dictionary defines disreputable as disgracing the reputation, lacking respectability in character. To the contrary, I brought honor to the reputation of motherhood. I was an integral part of my children’s academic career, I saw too it each of them were prepared for and attended college, I was PTA Vice president, Team Mom, and whatever else was necessary to make sure they became productive citizens in this society.
Coulter writes: "Single motherhood is like a farm team for future criminals and social outcasts." [Page 38]
Neither of my children are criminals or social outcasts. In fact, my oldest son graduated high school when he was 16 and is now teaching in the local school district.
My children are not alone, here is a list of other children who grew up in a single parent household.
Alexander Hamilton - President Gen. George Washington - President Thomas Jefferson - President James Monroe - President Andrew Jackson - President Andrew Johnson - President Rutherford B. Hayes - President Herbert Hoover - President Grover Cleveland - President Gerald Ford - President William Jefferson Clinton - President Barack Obama - U.S. Supreme Court Justice James Wilson - U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Rutledge - John Hancock - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Johnson Field - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thomas Todd - U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Davis - U.S. Supreme Court Justice John McKinley - U.S. Supreme Court Ch. Justice (and U.S. Treasury Secretary) Salmon P. Chase - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Melville Fuller - U.S. Supreme Court Ch. Justice Edward D. White - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Benjamin N. Cardozo - U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas - U.S. Supreme Court Justice James F. Byrnes - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Goldberg - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas - Frederick Douglas - Gen. Robert E. Lee - Booker T. Washington - Benjamin Rush - Stephen Colbert - George Mason - Fr. Gen. Marquis de Lafayette - U.S. Senator Henry Clay - William Tecumseh Sherman - Meriwether Lewis - Eleanor Roosevelt - Jackie Robinson - Mark Twain - George Washington Carver - Nathanial Hawthorne - Eli Whitney Jr. - U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hamilton Hoyer - Michael Phelps - Linus Carl Pauling - Aristotle - Nicolas Copernicus - Sir Isaac Newton - Mahatma Gandhi - Leonardo da Vinci - Confucius - Jesus of Nazareth - Queen Elizabeth I - Jean-Jacques Rousseau - William Blackstone - Annie Mansfield Sullivan - Alexander Fleming - Nelson Mandela - Catherine the Great of Russia - Robert Frost - Langston Hughes - Alexandre Dumas - Gen. Alexander Haig - Alabama Governor Bibb Graves - New York Governor Al Smith - Tennessee Governor Sam Houston - Indiana Supreme Court Justice William Allen Woods - U.S. Senator Al Sharpton - U.S. Senator Senator Robert C. "Bob" Smith - U.S. Senator John Ensign - U.S. Senator Bella Abzug - U.S. Senator William Warren "Bill" Bradley - U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan - Queen Victoria of Britain - Alan Greenspan - Plato - Alessandro Volta - Jim Clark - Ada Lovelace - Jane Austen - George Eastman - Rosa Parks - Roy Wilson Howard - Washington State Senator Paull Shin - Johann Sebastian Bach - Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz - Lance Armstrong - John Lennon - Hans Christian Andersen - Edward Jenner - Giacomo Puccini - Joseph John ("J.J.") Thomson - Bertrand Russell - Hermann Rorschach - Herman Melville - John Keats - Marian Anderson - Garry Kasparov - Sylvia Plath - Leo Tolstoy - Peyton Rous - Benjamin Carson - Raphael - David Hume - Hannah Arendt - Ralph Waldo Emerson - Stephen Crane - Friedrich Nietzsche - Agatha Christie - William Wordsworth - Max Weber - Cleopatra - Jesse Jackson - Audie Murphy - Gustav Theodor Fechner - Edgar Allen Poe - Emile Zola - William Smith - Gerald Bull - Willa Cather - Ritchie Valens - Daniel Dennett - Cass Gilbert - Mary Leakey - Joseph Stalin - Charlie Chaplin - Nelly Bly - Henry Morton Stanley - Max Born - Sarah Breedlove - Frederick Froebel - Steve Allen - Louis Armstrong - Warren Hastings - Allan Pinkerton - Billie Holiday - Hank Williams - Malcolm X - Carol Burnett - Thomas Green Clemson - John Irving - J.R.R. Tolkien - Charles Bronson - Tom Blake - Paulette Goddard - Gene Hackman - Robert Hooke - James Byron Dean - Halle Berry - Benjamin Bratt - Eddie Murphy - Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg - Deborah Sampson - Ralph Ellison - California Supreme Court Justice Rose Bird - Eric Clapton - Eamon de Valera - William Reddington Hewlett - J. Marvin Herndon - Mother Angelica - Karl Rove - Julius Caesar - Muhammed - Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick - F. Whitten Peters - Henry Talbot - Arthur C. Clarke - Jim Rogan - Frederick W. Alt - Emil J. Freireich - Willie Nelson - Charlotte Perkins Gilman - Victor - Herbert - Bessie Coleman - Dorothy Andersen - Chiang Kai-shek - Videl Sassoon - Coco Chanel - Anderson Hayes Cooper - James Brown - Kenneth Grahame - Hunter "Patch" Adams - Jack Nicholson - Roald Dahl - William Lloyd Garrison - Douglas Fairbanks - David Harker - Robert Fulton - Irving Berlin - Jonathan Swift - Peggy Drexler - Art Buchwald - Carolyn Jones - Doris Roberts - Loretta Young - Marilyn Monroe - Barbara Stanwick - Steve McQueen - Cher - Pierce Brosnan - Wayne Dyer - Francis Alice Kellor - Sophia Loren - Stephen King - Sir Charles Bell - Whoopi Goldberg - Richard Wright - Percy Spencer - Ward Connerly - Fatty Arbuckle - Katherine Burr Blodgett - Dorothea Lange - Frances Kellor - Gloria Steinem - Gloria Gaynor - Jon Stewart - Bette Davis - Audrey Hepburn - Tom Cruise - Bill Cosby - Barry White - Susanna Harding - Jodie Foster - Patsy Cline - Ed Bradley - Tom Monaghan - Rickey Henderson....
Ann, if you’re not going to be part of the solution then that makes you part of the problem. All you do is spew vile outrageous comments that create divisions among people rather than bringing them closer together.
You actually said in one of your interviews that the left had a plan for illegitimacy. Give me a break, who plans for illegitimacy? How crazy does that sound? Its comments like this one that reduce your credibility and take away from some of the truths that may lie dormant in your tirades.
For instance, I agree that mothers need to take responsibility and not live off welfare forever. I also believe that single motherhood should not be glamorized because it’s a tough job and anyone who believes otherwise in terribly mistaken. However, in many instances it’s not single motherhood alone that is directly at issue. It is more so certain family characteristics and lifestyle advantages (such as educational opportunities, financial opportunities, stability, attention, and so forth) or the lack thereof that are attributable to the less than acceptable outcomes that we see.
So Ann, don’t lump everyone in the same basket. Unless you’ve walked a mile in someone else’s shoes, it would be wise not to judge to harshly. Judge not that ye not be judged. Matthew 7:1. You know where you’ve been, you don’t know where you’re going.
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