Memorial Day

It's not about cookouts. It's not about pools opening. It's not about Summer time. It's not about strawberry pie. It's about fallen heroes. It's about the lives its taken to keep our country safe and free. It's about the honour and love and respect they earned with their lives. It's about their sacrifice, and their families sacrifices.

To forget what this day is truly about, is to belittle and disrespect the sacrifice of thousands of men. It is to belittle the men and women currently serving and to make light of the hardships and struggles that went toward forming our country. Let's respect our military, let's respect our country, let's respect our heroes. They deserve it!

For any military families who have lost a family member who may read this, God bless you and comfort you!

Love,
Ruth

P.S. feel free to comment! :) I allow anonymous comments on my blog! If you have someone you know currently serving, feel free to ask for prayer for their safety. I know how much you want them safe!

Hey!

Long time no post, I am aware! So some plans for this blog...

I'm not sure if I'm going to end up keeping it up. I may switch totally to "I Press On" which.. gives more clearly a feel of things that I  think and muse about rather than Ruth telling people what to do! haha This Week's Question is definitely on pause as I have not been able to think of any at the moment. Lots going on ;)

I'm working on Advanced Biology (getting an A! YAY) and Advanced Mathematics (getting an A YAY) Both of which are honours courses. Also I'm studying guitar... taking care of goats... writing music... reading Pilgrim's Progress (which by the way is a must read! this is my second time through it.. perhaps third!)

So there you have it! I am still on the planet. I have been living... I'm having a pretty good time! :) Hope you are, too!

Love,
Ruth

Update

I haven't posted in about two weeks! Wow! I've been pretty busy... Mom and dad wanted to talk to me about my aims with my blogs so that explains the silence! I've been missing blogging! (By the way, for a blog of only devotional things, check out my new blog!  I'm so excited to start that one! It's pretty much just a journal of what I learn etc as I do my devotions and what not! I hope it encourages you, too! I'm working on a pair of 18th c stays, getting ready for my college sisters to come home, taking care of animals, doing school, talking with friends, going to church.. Lots of stuff! Excitingly busy :P I took a photo shoot today of my two little bucklings! They are adorable!

Here they are!

Billy the Kid (also known as Snuggle-bug Wiggly Wiggams, Billy Boy, Charming Billy, Billy Blue-eyes, and Tucson Junior) 

Comanche (also known as Manchy-Nancy, Manchy, Sweety-pie, and My Manchy Nancy)

Here they are running after me ♥ so adorable!

They are adventurous :)

He's so sweet! 

They're squirmy and heavy... So I was holding him mostly on my side!

Another sweet one of Billy Boy! :) Paint on my hands... grrrrr

They're also extremely voracious 

They love roses.... I think I've rubbed off on them :D

...They don't like to stand still....

That has got to be THE CUTEST PICTURE EVER! ♥

And proud daddy... if you will recall last year I had a little baby buck named "Tucson Kid" This is him all grown up! 

That's the shoot! :D I had a blast doing it with them.. got covered in poison ivy (I'm not very allergic to it, thank goodness.. and I still have none! :D) My little babies are growing up! :*( Sooo sad (that I don't have to wake up at all hours of the night to feed them... they don't get sick as easily... they don't have to be fed but twice a day.. so sad right? :P) Tucson still loves me. When I walk by his pen with the bucklings... he looks up and goes.. "mrrrrr" like.. "What about me?!" LOL He's adorable! And he still comes and puts his head against my leg and just stands there. SO sweet! ♥

Well there you have it! Lots of fun! Hope you enjoyed seeing pics of my babies!

Ruth

What Am I Doing to Change the World

I wrote a post some time back entitled this. I said that all Christians are called to be worldchangers and to witness for Christ.

Well, one of my brothers brought to my attention that not everyone is called to go talk to unsaved people who do not ask about our faith. Paul says, "have a ready answer for when people ask about the hope that is in you". When they ask, not when we see them.

Also, my mom pointed out that our brothers are not unbelievers, brothers are believers. So when the Bible says "when you see your brother overtaken in a fault, confront him", it's talking about your brother, spiritual brothers, those who believe in Jesus and follow Him.

I hope I didn't cause confusion. I was not clear on this point myself. Not everyone is called to actively change the world. All we are all called to do is be good witnesses, through the way we live. "So that men may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven."

I apologize for putting the wrong idea out there. I hope I've cleared it up!

Love,
Ruth

Thoughts: Neglect

So, I don't know if you've ever had this problem or been aware of it, but I have seen a lot of neglect in the Christian community.

Let's start with youth groups. Let's actually take a small youth group, with nobody that even acts up, and go there. So, we see the youth leader at the door. "Hey!" he says, "Good to see you this week!" You smile and say hey back. Then he tells you everybody's in the chapel. Cool, let's go see them. We walk in the chapel. There's the girls, Mary, Anna, Katy, Jodi, all in a group. They're talking away. Fun! The girls are talking! Let's go join. "Hey, Anna!" we greet them, very pleasantly with a smile that says, "I'm glad to see you today!" "Hey! I like your shirt." "Thanks, I got it at the thrift store for three dollars." "Really? Awesome!" Anna turns back into the circle without opening to make room for us.

Okay, guess they must be busy right now. Oh! There's John and David and- oh! Daniel came today, too! Let's go say hi! "Hey guys!" "Hey! I didn't see you in church this morning." "No, I couldn't make it. Didn't have a ride." "Oh. Okay. Oh, I know right, John? So true! hahaha" David turns around and closes us out of the circle too. Fine, I guess everybody's busy. Let's go be a wallflower. Maybe after a while somebody will come over to talk.

Tick tick tick tick tick. "Guys!" says the youth pastor, "Let's all grab a seat and stand to sing!"

We really did just go that entire time with nobody talking to us. Seriously. Now, maybe everybody was just busy this week. No. Every Sunday. Every time. Nobody is ever more than polite to us.

Don't believe me that it goes that way? Believe me. Apparently it all depends if you're in their "circles" or not . This is so wrong. Some kids are hungry for friendships and love. There's a reason that the church is described as a family. You know the, "brothers" and all? Do we really just go around all day only be barely polite to our siblings? This is neglecting one another and should not be done. It's hurtful. It makes people feel unloved and not wanted.

We need to remember to encourage, love, and support one another. We need to remember to reach out to those who may  not be so popular. We need to love more. Neglect is not right. God takes us, no matter how dweeby, dorky, or funny we are. We should accept each other as He does.

Love,
Ruth

"Lead Me to the Cross"

This is a song by Hillsong United (have I mentioned how much I love them???) and the words are as follows:

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemption's hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

[Chorus:]
Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

[Chorus]

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

[Chorus]

I was singing part of it today and suddenly realized something. See the part "Bring me to my knees" in there? A lot of people sing this kind of lyric on Sundays or sing them because they like the song, and don't realize what being brought to their knees truly is. It really is when you're in a helpless place. When you're brought to your knees, there's nothing you can do. You just sit there and want to scream at somebody or punch something because you're so broken, you don't know what to do. You're so hurt you feel like there's nothing to be done. That is being brought to your knees. People sing these lyrics so lightly, and a lot of them, living their easy lives don't know what it actually means. Being brought to your knees is being so devastated that all you can do is say "Jesus!" over and over and over again. 

But that is the beauty of trusting and following Christ. When our world does fall apart, He is there to catch us as we begin to fall. He catches us and says, "No. You are more because you are Mine. You're more than this world that's falling apart. I have you. Be still and know that I am God." And when that happens, that is being brought to your knees. That is counting everything you held dear as lost. That is when you learn to lean completely on God. When everything around you gives way. "When all around, my soul gives way, my Anchor holds within the Veil!"

Being brought to our knees hurts, but it helps. There's a saying, "no pain, no gain." If we don't feel the pain of having our world fall apart, then we don't feel the beauty of leaning on Christ. I can say that I have been brought to my knees. I have felt my world falling apart, but I leaned on Christ, and He brought me back up and set me back down and said, "No. You're more than what's around you. You won't give in, because you are in Me." It is beautiful. I know from experience. It hurts, but it's beautiful. God has blessed me so much, and I think I can truly say I have been brought to my knees and praise God I have been stood back up through His mercy and love!

Love,

Ruth

This Week's Question: What Does Love Look Like?

I've done a post on love and how it doesn't always mean romance etc. a few months ago. (Valentine's day) Today, though, I want to point out what love looks like.

Love isn't girls telling each other they look "so cute!" Love isn't giving people hugs. Love isn't seeing someone every day. Love isn't talking to someone all the time. Love isn't agreeing on everything. Love isn't never arguing.

Love is encouraging people. Love is, not seeing someone all the time, but still being close. Love is, not talking all the time, but being quieted and happy just knowing you're there. Love is, not agreeing on everything, but still loving and caring. Love is arguing, (even though we shouldn't because no one is perfect...) but being able to forgive. Love is being there for someone. Love is telling them "it's okay". Love is knowing, even without the person telling you, that they care, that they love you.

Believe me, I know this from experience. I have some awesome friends! :D They put up with my very many quirks ;) Because, believe it or not, I have many quirks about me :D

Well, I hope this helps you see what real love should look like! Forgiveness, support, encouragement, care, forgiveness.

Love,
Ruth