Archives for April 2012

Don’t Sacrifice Your children

April 20, 2012 by Jules 4 Comments

It's that time of year again. The ceremony begins. Those leading are ready with scripts memorized, instruments in hand, and audience in place. The drums begin. Those in attendance began tossing their jewelry, wallets, and anything of worth into a hot burning fire. The last man to walk up is pale, nervous, and uneasy. He tosses in that which is of the utmost worth in his life, his CHILD! The leader of the ceremony cheers and a new song erupts. Everyone shouting, screaming, beating drums just as the year before. Drowning out the horrific cries of that tiny baby. That man slowly creeps back to his wailing wife in an attempt to comfort her as they watch many other fathers walk forward to offer their babies. The drums, chanting and dancing only become louder and more wild in attempt to distract from the smell of burning flesh and the reality that you are sacrificing a helpless gift of life.

What the Crap! {I know you were all thinking it...I just typed it.} Who in their right mind would participate in such a thing? Who could stand by and let someone do that to their child? Who could cheer about it? Who could voluntarily offer their child?

God's chosen people.

The 12th century rabbi Rashi, commenting on Jeremiah 7:31 stated:

Tophet is Moloch, which was made of brass; and they heated him from his lower parts; and his hands being stretched out, and made hot, they put the child between his hands, and it was burnt; when it vehemently cried out; but the priests beat a drum, that the father might not hear the voice of his son, and his heart might not be moved.

²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. "

Leviticus 18:21

David conquered Jebusi, now Jerusalem, and he named it "The City of David" (II Sam. 5:6-7 & I Chron. 11:4-5). Israel never did completely separate from the pagans in the land as God had instructed them. Rather they intermarried and absorbed them into their culture (Ezra 9:1). And just as God's "called-out Israel" "served their gods," so likewise does His [many] "called-out Church" serve these same gods of old by teaching similar doctrines. {http://bible-truths.com/}

These seemingly barbaric people were sacrificing their babies to this god in hopes of gaining fertility {the ultimate sign of blessing then, ironically} or as a payment for their own sin or the sins of their people.

As barbaric as this sounds, we must remember that this is precisely what we do through abortion. With one obvious exception - today we don't honor or bury the children we kill.

Yep, I went there! As God's "called out" people, we the church need to start taking a stand for things that matter. Stop fighting over which denomination is better. Which churches withIn a denomination are better. Fight for those who need a voice. Those innocent being sacrificed to our gods of "rights", "choice", and "selfishness"!

Even Jesus addressed this by alluding to the valley where these sacrifices took place as that of the fires of hell. He used this illustration because it for those he was talking to it "...seems to fit into most people's concept of torturous infernal regions reserved for "evil souls of men,"..."

The best picture of Hell Jesus could give was that of His people sacrificing their innocent children to fake gods. WOW!

Abortion is sacrificing an unborn, helpless child to the god of selfishness, convenience, or pride to pay for the sin of sex outside marriage.

Abortion is sacrificing an unborn, helpless child to the god of fear to pay for the sin of rape, incest, or pedophilia.

Mothers asking their daughters to sacrifice their unborn, helpless child to the god of pride to pay for the sin of neglect.

Where will you your allegiances lie? Will you "completely separate from the pagans in the land as God had instructed"?

{start learning about the LIFE campaign HERE or HERE}

~~~~WARNING: there is a LOT of information provided here so please return when covenant to utilize these resources~~~~

Healing after abortion:
http://sarahmae.com/stretchingintoblue/2012/04/for-the-mama-who-lost-her-baby-through-abortion/

"Why [women who have had abortions] wall up, or cry around little children; why they sleep around, or suffer from depression, or think that God is punishing them by not giving them more children. I have a message for those women." -Sarah Mae

http://hopeafterabortion.com/

http://www.safehavenministries.com/

http://www.treeoflifepsc.com/Post-Abortion-Counseling.html

Citations and informative sites:
TOPHET AND MOLECH IN HINNOM via http://bible-truths.com/

http://www.abortionfacts.com/

Abortion: Sacrificing to Molech

http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message498184/pg1

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_did_Jesus_say_about_Gehenna

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002912.htm

http://liveaction.org/

Personal Stories of abortion:
http://dragonmommie.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/first-hand-description-of-partial-birth-abortion/

http://www.likeawarmcupofcoffee.com/home/abortion/

Image:
http://images.mitrasites.com/photo/molech.html

Graphic image of an abortion:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71014391@N03/6935055539/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/manantialdevidaeterna/3010685074/

Amazing video on the important reality of abortion:
The 180 Video {post from the archives}

God's miracles despite abortion:
http://www.givingpraise.com/miracles/fulllife/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8B1nKGIAeg&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sRYz7IDru0&feature=related

Filed Under: The Ones about Jules Life {Randomness}, The Ones about...Stuff

Ham & Cheese Sliders {Thoughtful Thursday}

April 19, 2012 by Jules 2 Comments

Do you have anything thoughtful you ‘d like to share this Thursday? Some little helpful hint? A fun recipe? A tool you love? Please share by linking up below {linky messed up so add them in the comment section} and then posting the “Thoughtful Thursday” button to your post so other ladies can get lots of thoughtful helps! Consider visiting the link above yours and encouraging them through comments!

Here’s my thoughtfulness for the week:

I love simple meals. My kids love being with me...everywhere. The kitchen is no exception. Some times meals are too time consuming to add the child chief to the mix if we want to eat before bed. But, because I enjoy teaching my kids through making meals, I like finding healthy simple things where they can easily help!

Today I wanna give you the "recipe" for

Ham and Cheese Sliders

1 pkg frozen rolls {we used Sister Schubert}
8 oz mozzarella cheese
8-10 slices of deli ham
Butter, salt, and pepper {optional}

Gather all ingredients. Pre-heat oven to according to roll pkg. Make sure children have chairs or step stools near the counter to stand on but away from the oven.

Shred cheese with a grater over a small bowl {my 2 and 3-year-old were capable of doing this}.
Rip ham into small pieces {almost any age could do this}.
Slice rolls in 1/2 {for older children or parent} and place on a cookie sheet.

Layer ham and cheese on one side of the roll and stack the other 1/2 on top.
Try to keep the shredded cheese and ham on the rolls as much as possible {HARD with littles helping layer but they love this part}
Bake rolls according to pkg.
{if you like your rolls a little more moist, I like to add a tiny bit of butter on the tops before baking and sprinkle a little of salt and pepper}

Add a side of fruit and the kids will eat it up because it's yummy and They Helped! You'll enjoy it because you got to spend time with your kids in the kitchen, made a simple meal with them, and it was healthy!

Sorry, my link-up is messed up and I haven't had time to fix it yet but I'd LOVE to have links to your thoughfulness!
Add a link in the comment section below. Thanks!!!

How to Handle a Lifestyle in Limbo

April 17, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

As many of you know, the Rothacher “lifestyle” has been in a world wind of changes!

{you can read just some past posts about our "household" to get an idea of what I'm talking about}

I'm sharing over at The Homemaker's Challenge today. I'll be talking briefly about how God used 2 David's in our life over the past couple years to prepare us for the most recent season we're in: limbo. Dave Ramsay and David Platt have been huge influences in our families life.

Go check out how at homemakerschallenge.com!

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Homemaker, Parenting, The Ones about Homemaker's Challenge, The ones about the Rothacher Home Tagged With: dave ramsay, David Platt, Financial Peace University, God's preparation, life in limbo

Life in Limbo

April 16, 2012 by Jules 4 Comments

God began working in my husband’s life around last Easter. Not in the simple realization of God’s plan of salvation but this inner turmoil of a man who already knew Christ and wanted to know what the heart of God really looks like.

I journeyed through this with him. Watching him read book after book alongside his Bible and commentaries. I waited patiently to see where God was leading our family through my fresh new husband. Radical was of course one of those many books. Life Changing! Another was Kisses from Katie. This is a story of a high school prom queen turned adopted mom of 14 and counting Ugandan children. My heart began to stir. I surrendered to foreign missions years ago. Months before I’d even met Matt {my amazing husband}. To me, that meant I was surrendered to serve wherever God would have me, whether that be in the States or abroad. I thought maybe this is why God had laid that on my heart so many years before now. Where we going to move somewhere like Uganda to love one the masses there who had never heard of Jesus Christ?

With that question lingering in the back of my mind we, as a couple, went to our first Catalyst Conference in October. We listened to strong men and women of faith talk about what it looked like to be leaders in the body of Christ. Katie Davis, the author of Kisses from Katie was there. Her interview gave a brief insight into the normalcy of ministering over in Uganda. Her nervous laugh and passion that came out as she talked stirred my heart even more to step out and do something more than what I was doing now.

In November, Matt came to be and said, “…I think God wants me to be a Pastor.” You have to know what a surprise this was for me to hear {and not erupt into laughter}. I married a YOUTH pastor. The man who hated watching guys with no passion for students use youth pastor possessions as a stepping stone to become “real pastors” one day. The guys who need to have some experience on their résumé but had no real intention of staying in the student ministry for any longer than they had to. Nope, he was a self-proclaimed “Lifer”! Now he thinks God wants him to go be a “real pastor”…

Another few days passed and he came to me again and started asking my option on Church Planting. I, of course, gave him my good ole, “We should be fixing the churches that already exist. We can’t leave them to die. All these tiny churches need to unite, get over tradition, and become kingdom minded and not territory minded!” He didn’t seem to affirm my rants…we’re normally on the same page. I was confused. He didn’t argue any of my points but wasn’t condensed either. I began praying really hard. I assumed he was interested in church planting as an easy alternative to pastoring an existing church. I didn’t want my husband to jump ship into what seemed like no-man’s-land because he was bored, depressed, or tired of fighting the same old stuff. God’s not going to lead a couple in two different directions.

Matt did lots more reading, studying, researching. He came back to me with stats. My heart had been melted and remolded by Christ. Here are just some of the staggering results about church planting.

embedded by Embedded Video

vimeo Direkt

I honestly feel like a missionary stepping out into the deep dark regions of…Arkansas. Bahaha
This is the most unsure we’ve ever been about the possession we are about to step into. We’ve never done anything like this. The failure rate is high. We will have to rely on sporadic funds to live on. We need to sell our current home and find a reasonably surprised home there that will fit our growing family. There are so many unknowns yet God has given us an unexplainable peace that seems to bother most people we speak with.

What is God asking you to step out and do? This new adventure isn’t just for those of us God called to “work” in full-time ministry. As Christians we are all called to minister full-time, with all we have, in everything.

Read more about our journey in these posts:

The New Adventure

The New Adventure {video announcement}

How to Handle a Lifestyle in Limbo

Also linked up at The Better Mom and Graceful.

Filed Under: Being a Help-Meet, Homemaker, Parenting, The ones about the Rothacher Home

Sometimes You Have to Rock a Crying Baby

April 9, 2012 by Jules 13 Comments

We’ve long since parted ways with the nursing world. At fifteen months, Samuel no longer takes his sustenance from me, not physically at least. However, I’m learning he still needs his mama in a deep, comforting way.

When he’s hurt, he reaches for me.
When he’s scared, he reaches for his mama.
When he’s tired, he lays his head on my shoulder.

Even though Daddy gives Samuel his bath and often, holds the dropper for him to take his nightly herbs, baby boy still longs for me to put him to bed. Mama is his comforter.

Recently, I have seen an increase in baby boy's need to be cuddled at bedtime, especially since our cross country move. Tonight, I lugged a rocking chair into his bedroom and sat him in my lap. He curled right into me and nuzzled deep. This was a first, and I embraced it.

As Samuel lay burrowed tight, he stared at the cross that hangs daily around my neck. He gazed at it curiously as if he was seeing it for the very first time. He ran his fingers down and across the silver edges, as his eyes drooped heavily, and the lyrics of Amazing Grace slipped through my lips.

As I stroked Sam’s cheek, I wondered if this boy would ever come to know and fear the Lord. This thought was quickly followed by the sobering remembrance of my harsh words and impatient huffs shared often throughout the day, as if Samuel was the absolute biggest inconvenience ever known to man. Gospel-centered living the farthest thing from my mind.

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

Tears flowed freely and heavily as I choked out the rest of the hymn. I repented of my selfishness, impatience, and pride. I repented of my unkind words, for the slamming of my spatula, and for yelling at my baby to just leave the toilet seat alone for once! I asked God to forgive me and create in me a new heart! Please, God, renew a right spirit within me!

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

I held my boy tight. I kissed his little head over and over while singing the words my chains are gone, I’ve been set free. At that moment, Samuel looked up at me with searching, knowing eyes and smiled. He reached his little hand up to my mouth and stroked my wet cheek as if he knew his mama was rocking a crying baby who needed comforting.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

Leigh Ann’s life goal is to create a home where it is impossible to not think about God. At Intentional By Grace, she blogs about her journey of intentional living in order to make this goal a reality.

She is the wife of almost four years to the man of her prayers, Mark, and mama to a loveable little boy, Samuel. She takes joy in spending her days creating memorable moments with her husband, conducting kitchen experiments, researching every natural alternative known to man, and making her little boy laugh. She does it all by the grace of God.

You can follow her on twitter @n10tionalgrace or by liking Intentional By Grace on Facebook.