12 Questions About the Syrian Refugee Crisis...the list may grow as I process

 I would love responses. 

1.  What is the role of our government in general and in this crisis?

2. What do you think about the President of our government...the one who has a history of opposing things of a Biblical nature...to pull out the "widows and orphans" slam in regards to unvetted Syrian refugees?

3.  Regarding ^ that btw....Is anyone out there under the assumption that radicalized men are not radicalizing women and children?

4.   What is the role of the Church in this crisis?  Local?  Global?

5.  Is the role of the gvt. and the role of the church different?

6.  Specifically to secular folks/ the "non-religious" ones...what have you done to help a Syrian refugee lately?

7.  Specifically to ....CHRISTIANS...what have YOU done to help a Syrian refugee lately?
 
8.  Specifically to secular folks/the "non-religious" ones....please explain to me how you desperately and passionately wanting to help the Syrian refugees lines up with your belief system?  The survival of the fittest one.  I'm lost.

9.   Specifically to the Christians...until you get off your high horses and take in or habitually visit a Syrian refugee...giving him/her the clothes off your back and feeding him/her from your table et. etc. etc. ...or supporting financially (until it hurts,) physically, emotionally, spiritually etc. etc. etc.  those who are...your self serving and self deceiving platitudes about continuing to bring them unvetted into our towns and cities...are falling on deaf ears.

10.  To everyone...Is there more than one way to help?

11.  Given Current Events...what is the wisest way to help?

12. What will YOU do?

Samaritan's Purse

Galilee / Class of 2015

Guess who graduated?

GALILEE POLINA GREGG did!

That's right.  High School is in her rear view mirror. 

The road wasn't always easy and the challenges were many, but this girl faced her fears...dealt with the sin issues that popped up ...which ACADEMIA had a way of exposing.... and earned her diploma like a CHAMP!

We are very proud of her. 




Dear Galilee,

You are a gift from the Lord.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made...knit together by a Master Artist in your birth mother's womb.  You are unique.  You are one-of-a-kind.  The Lord knows the number of hairs on your head.  He sustains your very life...giving you breath.  Each day is a new opportunity to love HIM and love others.  It is a privilege to call ourselves your parents.  You have changed our lives for the better.  You are loved.

Forever Yours,
Mom & Dad

I Peter 5:10 

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Making Money - Rodney Rinks Project

Free Time

I teach a weekly Writing Class in our home to a small group of girls.  After we are finished skyping with 2 students in Arizona...these LA girls are free to spend their afternoons pretty much however they please.  I don't really get involved.

Free Time.

Sometime last Autumn...Zion found pumpkins at the .99 Cent Store and bought a whole bunch to decorate with her friends.

We usually keep a bucket of chalk around...and picnics are easy.

The girls are ALWAYS dressing up (wealthy Beverly Hills girls here) ...hanging in the closet/club...or buying .99 Cent Store ingredients so they can play Chopped.

They do "make-up."

Sometimes I find them dancing.

Last week...they put on a play..Sleeping Beauty.

Flora...Fauna...and Merryweather with Aurora.

Psalm 22:28

When your son signs a contract to travel to Europe right now and you are the sort of person who follows CURRENT EVENTS.

Then you remind yourself that He's got the whole world in HIS hands.  And you even say it out loud so that you can hear yourself saying it. 


Psalm 22:28 For the kingdom [is] the LORD'S: and he [is] the governor among the nations.

I would like to document here my overwhelming thankfulness towards and complete trust in the Lord.  

I traveled a lot as a kid...and young adult.  Europe...Asia...Australia...all over America...and it provided me a beautiful education and enriched my life in ways I have a hard time articulating.  Experiencing other cultures is fuel to my soul ...giving me flight and  something which grounds me at the same time.

As home-educators...my prayer early on was that our kids would be blessed with travel opportunities as I truly believe the Lord uses travel to open eyes and hearts.

He has answered that specific prayer for the boys with a "Yes."  

Braverijah is packing.

Halloween

October 31, 2016

It's Halloween again.  Long story short....Brad and I did Halloween growing up.  After salvation....we didn't see Halloween in the same way.   We didn't raise the kids doing Halloween.  When our boys hit their late teens.... they started dressing up with friends and going out to parties.  Our girls have dabbled in Harvest Parties...dressing up...getting candy.  I don't remember a time after Braverijah and Mcabe were 6 and 4 that  any of our kids trick or treated.

Still don't like Halloween.  Still have an opposition in my spirit towards it.

This is the first year since moving to LA that our girls aren't even mentioning dressing up.  (We aren't involved with a church that has an event planned this year.) Our boys went to a costume party Saturday night.  I have no idea what they are doing tonight.

This article came across by FB feed this morning.

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Previous Halloween"ish"  posts...

here

here

here

here

here

When you have the spiritual gift of discernment...you have this ability to identify things as either "of the Lord" or "not of the Lord"...and usually...instantaneously.

For me...celebrating Halloween is not of the Lord. 

As a family...we have navigated this conviction in various ways over the years.   Early on ...soon after Brad's and my salvation...we tried the dressing up as Biblical characters route.

Stupid.

We have ignored the yearly event altogether... focusing on Reformation Day instead.  One year we watched Luther as a family.  Just borrowed it from the library...so we'll watch it again sometime this week...I suppose.  
 here

here

here

This is always good.

We have gone to church "Harvest Festivals."

Eh.  Depending on the church.  Depending on the atmosphere.

We have thrown Costume Parties.

Fun.  

(btw....I much prefer when any festivities occur on a day/night other than October 31st.)

Last night we attended a Game Night at a friend's home.  Some people dressed up.  Others did not.  There was a snack table...hot cider on the stove and a prayer time.  We prayed for Hollywood...for the lost in Hollywood.

A fun time.  Also, a somewhat somber time.

All in all...my thoughts about Halloween have not swayed or shifted in any way since becoming a Christian.

I do not think celebrating Halloween is of the Lord. 

It's a dark night.

I am beyond confident that the Lord is victorious over darkness.  Jesus is risen from the dead.  He has conquered death.  The enemy is a dog on a leash.

I simply do not think celebrating Halloween is honoring to the Lord.

We did dress up for this "Game Night" at our Christian friend' home.  Again...I really wish it wasn't on Halloween Night.  Felt sorta yukkkkkky. 

Probably won't do it again.

 

Celebrating...that's what we need to define.  And also....rejecting legalism and walking boldly and confidently and humbly in conviction.

Those the part we are learning to navigate year after year.

Red Carpet Fashion Dreams

Brad's at the computer.  I'm on the bed...crocheting.  Zion is next to me watching an online tutorial on how to make ribbon hair barrettes.  Jemima is digging through my closet...looking for something to wear.  

Jemima:  When Dad does his big movie and we get to go to the Oscars...I know what red carpet dress I want.  I've been dreaming of it.

At this point...Brad turns from his work and almost breaks down.  Seriously...he is close to tears.  He and I have eye contact.  What a sweet thought.  What a sweet encouragement. So much hope. 

Jemima:  It's a cross between Aundrey Hepburn's in Funny Face...wait.....(she googles).....  no Sabrina!  So gorgeous!!!! 

Jemima:  And Jennifer Lawrence's.... I don't know what year...wait... (she googles.)

Me:  The one she fell in?

Jemima:  Yeah.

Me:  The white one?

Jemima:  Yeah.  So classic.  So beautiful!!!!!

Then ...for the next five minutes...Jemima and Zion go on to discuss 50's fashion.  Cinched wastes...silhouettes...skirt lengths...etc.

Zion:  Remember in Call The Midwife...that outfit she wore when she went to the bar...with the cute sweater that went to here (points to high waste)  and the pants?   The black high wasted pants.  It was the late 40's early 50's outfit.

Me/Jemima:  The cigarette pants.

Zion: Yeah.


I am not sure where all this would fall on an academic record...but it should fall in there somewhere.  

Lifestyle of Learning in our Home

Braverijah graduated "early" and with less Math but more community college credits than Mcabe.

Mcabe graduated "earlier" than Braverijah and with some community college credits.

Galilee is graduating "late" cuz she still has stuff to work on.  So far...no community college credits.

Jemima graduated last June..."early"and without community college credits.  This morning...she went through our home library and chose 1/2 dozen History books to read this coming year and is committed to going to go through a Grammar program because she's weak in that area.
 
Zion...she's officially starting 6th Grade...but only because that fits in with what we want to do in regards to Sunday School at church.  She's working at a lower level in some subject areas and is way advanced in others. 

If I had to do it all over again...this home-educating thing...I'd buy less...stress less, and worry less.

















Zion's 2014-2015 Syllabus :

Math / Saxon
Science / Apologia Botany
Latin & Vocab / English From The Roots Up
Grammar / Easy Grammar
Spelling / Spelling Power
Writing / Skype Class incorporating IEW & Any Child Can Write
Literature / Newbery Titles
History / Online Veritas Old Testament & Egypt
Dance / Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Spanish
Art / Misc.
Various Field Trips and Cultural Events
Service / Children's Hunger Fund
Bible / Weekly sermons / various speakers & faith events / Sunday School


Bradley and I will be attending...

..and the girls will be joining us as part of our ongoing education.   We will also be leading a Book Group in our home...Respectable Sins. 

Lifestyle of Learning ...one of the BEST things that ever happened to our family.  My anxious heart calmed.  My convictions were affirmed.  I grabbed a hold of the message and have been walking it out to the best of my ability ever since. 

Circle Day

Zoe spent the afternoon with us.  It was CIRCLE DAY.

Some Fun Things

More Gabba Gallery openings.

This piece...Made in China... sold for two thousand something bucks.    It reminded me of this current event ...and I think it's thought provoking.

We discovered Little Tokyo.  

 A Wishing Tree & Gelato Mochi. 

Sushi and a delicious Daikon Radish Salad.

And when the boys came across a really cool event...they called us up and told us to head over.

Off The Wall Sunday nites in NoHo is something super cool.  A space and art supplies are provided.  Graffiti artist come and put up their work legally.  The hope is that those who attend would be inspired to diversify their portfolios...step outside of their comfort zones...and eventually be able to sell their work.  Zion and Brad have participated twice now...and I've tagged along.  There's an open mic...(rap must be clean...no cussing)...dance offs...(amazing talent is an understatement) a food table (all donated and free to attendees.)  It's really a very inspiring thing.  

There is no security and things could get tense quickly...but haven't so far.  Everyone has been very  respectful.  Zion doesn't like the wafting smell of marijuana so much ...but she doesn't mind the lingering odor of spray paint. 

The first nite...Zion came up with a French Dude in a Beret.

Last nite...she came up with a Sugar Skull.

Downtown ART WALK.

The Peddler's Creamery

The Last Bookstore

Worldviews on display.

This lady became a little bit uncomfortable when I asked her if I could take photos.

These guys...believers...I give them a lot of credit. Out there doing the street evangelism thing.