Righteous Anger

The homily I heard on Friday was about anger, specifically Christ's anger.  This is a difficult subject for me to grasp, but it was exactly what I needed to hear (it's that always how it is?).  In order to really get into the content of the homily, I first need to share the Gospel upon which it was based: 

Jesus said to them,
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.'
Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me.
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."  (Luke 10:13-16)

In our modern society, Christianity has been "sanitized" to be nothing more than warm and fuzzy feelings.  But a Christianity based on warm fuzzies is not a Christianity based on Christ.  Jesus got angry.  (He flipped over tables on occassion, for goodness sake!) Anger is not a sin.  Sometimes it is the appropriate feeling for a certain situation.  Anger can lead us to sin, but anger in the right situations is necessary.

Christ was not afraid to inform others of their sins so that they may change their ways.  (And we should do the same.)  This is a hard thing for me to hear, because I like to think it's not my place to tell others what they should or should not be doing.  But sometimes, if done out of love and not out of a "holier than thou" attitude, it is appropriate to inform others of their sins.  I often hear, "Jesus accepted everyone just as they were" in order to justify sinful actions.  Essentially, those saying this are attempting to say, "It doesn't matter what you do.  Jesus doesn't care."  Well, that's wrong.  He does care.  If that's what you think, you don't believe in the same Christ I believe in and you haven't read the Bible.  Christ loves everyone just as they are, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want them to change their sinful behavior.  He called out the sinner, informing them of their sins and urging them to change.  Are we Christ-like if we turn a blind eye to the sins of those we love?

Linking up with:

Are your headlights in tip-top shape?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Pep Boys for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Did you know October is Headlight Safety Month?  I didn’t either, but it makes perfect sense since the days are getting shorter, the dangers of winter are getting closer, and headlights are more important than ever.  What shape are your headlights in?  I’ll admit, I haven’t given much thought to my headlights in the past but now that I’m a mom and I often  have precious cargo in my car, car maintenance has become very important to me.  That's why I've looked into headlight restoration. 

My dad and brother are both amazing at fixing and maintaining cars; however, they are extremely busy and if I waited for them to get around to basic maintenance, it would never get done. That’s why the 3M™ Headlight Lens Restoration Kit comes in handy.  It restores clarity to dull, yellowed or hazed headlight lenses for fraction of the price of professional restoration and - this is the best part - there are no tools required!  No need to depend on the busy men in my life, I can do it myself with just a little time and elbow grease. There is also satisfaction knowing that I’m taking care of my family in a traditionally “manly” way.  (My dad taught me some basic vehicle maintenance as a teenager and I’ve always been so proud to say that I know how to - and often do - change my own oil.) 

Now that summer is officially gone and night driving is more frequent, take a look at your headlights and see if they are up to the job.  If not, think about taking a trip to your nearest Pep Boys stores for the 3M™ Headlight Lens Restoration Kit.  Hurry in and purchase your kit before the end of the year to get a $5 mail in rebate.

7 Quick Takes Friday (Take 69)

I wasn't going to write a Quick Takes this week.  I really wasn't.  But then I realized I had so many things to say and they just couldn't wait for a Ten Minute Tuesday post.  I wouldn't remember them by Tuesday anyway.  So here it goes.

--- 1 ---

Friday is Mass day at my school.  (I teach at a Catholic school).  Friday is also an amazing day for a million other reasons (it's a short day, it's the end of the week, etc., etc., etc.), but it is definitely my favorite weekday because of daily Mass.  The students are amazing at Mass.  They may climb the walls like wild monkey during Spanish class, but in Mass they are quiet and reverent and attentive.  

--- 2 ---

Lucia turned 10 months old today.  She's basically a toddler.  She's losing her baby pudge, she's talking, she's close to walking.  Oh, and she's adorable:

--- 3 ---

Last week I opened a college savings account for Lucia through GradSave.  I am so excited for this for her birthday and the holidays.  Lucia doesn't NEED anything, so we're going to ask family to put some money in her account.  (Of course, she's get some gifts too, I know our family can't resist spoiling her a little bit, but I'm hoping this will help limit the gifts to one or two small things.)  It's never too early to save for college!  I was so excited about opening this account that I asked GradSave if they would be willing to do a giveaway for $25 to start or add to a GradSave account and they agreed!  So if you have a child/grandchild/godchild/niece/nephew/cousin/friend that could use a little boost in college savings (and who doesn't) you can enter here.

--- 4 ---

Money is very tight for us right now but one "extra" that we try to keep in the budget is date nights.  It's so important that David and I get some "fun" time just the two of us, especially since living with my parents means we don't get as much alone time as the average couple.  I'm always looking out for coupons and deals to that we can have fun on our budget.  One of the best ways I've found to get discounts for dinner is to join a restaurant's online mailing list.  Tonight we got dinner buy one get one free because I had joined the restaurant's e-club, and it made an otherwise pricey meal possible for us.  We were even able to get this delicious brownie sundae:

You can't tell from the picture, but it was big enough for four (ahem, eight) people.  And for the record, we didn't eat it all, there was some still left in the bottom.  But seriously, what date isn't complete without a humungous dessert?

--- 5 ---

Speaking of my husband, I wrote a post about him this week.  It was part of a brand new linkup called Wedded Bliss Wednesdays that I'm going to link up with EVERY WEEK, because marriage and husbands tend to get a bad reputation on the internet and I'm all about changing that.  Marriage is awesome.  So are husbands (especially mine).

--- 6 ---

Our Steamboat Springs getaway last weekend was AMAZING.  Wow, weekend getaway and date night in one week?  We really are spoiled!!!  Here's a peak at the beauty we soaked in:

If you want to see more (include a picture of my daughter in the most adorable puppy hat ever), I wrote a whole post on it here.

--- 7 ---

I had a few great guest posts this week that you should check out (if you haven't already seen them).  Mama Leigh's contributed a new post to the On Marrying Young Series (it's been a while) about "growing up" with her husband and going to grad school as the mom of a little one.  Rebecca wrote about Five Way to Share Your Family Heirlooms.  I love the ideas to get them out of dusty boxes and into our lives.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Guest Post: Five Ways to Share Your Family Heirlooms

Old shoes. A yellowed dress. Black-and-white photographs in gilt frames. Maybe even your own wedding dress or your child’s christening gown. Heirlooms take many shapes, but they all carry priceless sentimental value. Often, our first instinct is to store these items away so they won’t be damaged or lost, but when this happens, the memories associated with these items can become lost instead. Therefore, there are several ways you can bring your heirlooms out of their boxes and make yesterday’s history part of today’s memories. 

1. Photograph it: Perhaps you don’t want to display your great-grandmother’s wedding dress out where it can get damaged, but you can take pictures of it to share with your relatives at the next family reunion. You can use your own point-and-shoot camera, or you can consult a professional photographer to see how to best capture your heirlooms on film. If you decide to do it yourself, it’s worth looking at pictures of clothing online and reading up on how to get the best-looking results. Whatever you decide to do, make sure your photos are sharp and clear with any special detailing on the fabric clearly visible. You can frame these pictures, put them in albums, post them on a blog… whatever you choose to do to make these memories more accessible to the people you love. 

 2. Scan it: Scanning old documents and photographs is often one of the best ways to preserve these types of heirlooms. If you make high-quality copies of things like marriage certificates, diplomas, etc. you can display the copies and distribute them to other family members. This helps preserve the original and decreases the chance that the information it contains will be lost if the original is lost, damaged, or destroyed. 

source

3. Display it: Displaying documents and photos is fairly simple; make sure they are mounted on archival materials (such as acid-free paper) and don’t let them touch the glass of the picture frame; they may stick and become damaged. You can decoupage copies of your documents onto wood, put them in scrapbooks, or do any number of creative things to showcase these pieces of your family history. Displaying textiles and other non-flat items can be a little trickier, however. Clothing items such as your child’s christening gown and other baby things are a little easier because of their size; they can be tacked in frames, arranged in shadowboxes, or hung in nurseries on cotton-padded hangers. Hanging antique clothing is not recommended, since it can put a great deal of stress on the shoulders and bodice, causing irreparable damage. Another (safer) option for displaying heirloom clothing is to put it on a dress form; accurately sized, 100% soft cotton forms are best. Always display textiles in low light in a stable environment (not a hot attic or damp basement) for best garment preservation. 

 4. Transform it: Now, this sounds harsh and/or sacrilegious somehow, but transforming your family heirlooms in some way can actually be a lasting way of sharing and preserving them. Options here include refinishing and repainting an old cedar chest, turning wedding dresses into pillows and christening dresses, electroplating shoes and sports memorabilia, and cutting swatches of heirloom clothing to place in shadow boxes with other mementos. Presenting your daughter with part of your wedding dress on her wedding day would be a special gift indeed. 

5. Talk about it: Knowing the stories behind your heirlooms can be just as important as having the heirloom itself. Ask relatives about the heirloom’s significance; even if you know the story behind it, a relative might be able to provide additional stories and insight. Write down the significance of the items you treasure and store the writings with the objects they describe. An heirloom without a story is valuable, but an heirloom with a story is truly priceless. 

Unfortunately, “out of sight” means “out of mind” too often for many family heirlooms. Bringing your heirlooms out of dusty boxes and sharing them and their stories can ensure that they will remain a part of your family history for years to come. 

Rebecca Jensen is a blogger and freelance writer who loves writing about sewing, baby fashion, faith, and preserving memories. She currently writes for the handmade christening gown supplier christeninggowns.com.

Meet My Husband!

Table for More and Life After... are hosting a really fun Wednesday linkup: Wedded Bliss Wednesday.  I'm so excited to have discovered these blogs just a few days ago, in time to link up with their very first WBW!  And this one is SO fun: 

Chances are, your readers know all about you! But what about your husband? Lets give our men the spotlight this week and introduce the blog world to your other half!

Introduce us to your husband! (What's his name? How old? What does he look like?) A picture's worth a thousand words, so here's a picture of my sweetheart, David, on our wedding day.  Isn't he handsome?  He's 26.

What is your husband's favorite thing to do? He loves watching Gordon Ramsey shows, especially "Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares".  Even if he's seen an episode five times before, if it's on television, he'll watch it.

What does your husband do Monday-Friday?  He's the best stay-at-home dad and househusband!  When he's not changing diapers, playing with his baby princess, or doing the dishes, he's also job searching for a job in biomedical engineering.  He eventually wants to be a professor.

What was the FIRST thing you noticed about your husband when you met? We met online and the first thing I noticed about his profile picture was how cute he looked in his glasses.  Little did I know he rarely wears them.  When he picked me up on our first date, I instantly noticed he was wearing a salmon colored shirt (and thought it was brave of him to wear a "pink" shirt). 

See? Best daddy ever!

What is your husband's BEST quality? Do I really only have to pick one?  If that's the case, I would have to say his best quality is how faithful he is.  He pushes me to get closer to Christ and to become a better, more faithful version of myself.  If I can name the other amazing qualities he has, I would add that he is incredibly patient (not just with the baby, but with me too!), he's extremely intelligent (hence the Ph.D. in biomedical engineering), and he is very thoughtful.

What is your husband's biggest pet peeve? I mentioned he's very patient, so there is not much that really gets his goat.  He does get a bit annoyed about certain spelling errors (confusing they're/their/there or your/you're).  And he's not a huge fan of my fiery temper (I can't imagine why not...).

How does your husband feel about blogging? He's really supportive and (almost) always edits my posts for me.  So if there are typos, he's to blame...

What is something you do/can do that makes your husband feel loved? Make him dinner, help him around the house, massage his back, give him some personal time (to watch Gordon Ramsey...or write post-doc proposals), or, you know, bear his children.