So, I have been told that I tend to make noises... a lot (this is D by the way). I don't know why, I guess you could say "well you are a boy" but I just like making noise :) So why should you care that I make noises; because I taught L something. It is usually my duty to get L ready for bed which means that I do her bath. She has these foam letters as some of her toys and sometimes she likes to put them on the edge of the tub so that I can flick them across the tub. Every time I do that I say "Boom" when they hit the back of the tub. Our lovely child has now picked up on that word and uses it all the time when she chucks stuff in the tub... or off the high chair... or in the car... or in the store... "boom!" goes the milk cup on the floor, "boom!" goes the kix all over the place, "boom!" goes the cell phone. Sometimes she just chucks stuff so she can say boom... I don't know if E is as excited as I am that I have officially taught her a word :)
Oh, I also inadvertently taught her "doh" (like Homer Simpson). So now if you drop something and say "doh" she will repeat it. I don't know why she likes boom instead of doh but that's kids for you.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Your 17-month-old's social and emotional development: Feeling negative
Does your child deliberately ignore you when you ask him not to do something? Try not to lose your temper if he does. At this age, making a big deal over little transgressions like pulling petals off a flower or spreading newspapers around the house may inspire him to test your limits even more. Ignore the minor infractions and save your lectures for really big no-nos like biting a playmate or pulling the dog's tail.
New this month: Feeling negative
You may be surprised by the force of your child's likes and dislikes. Even at 17 months, toddlers can be very clear — loud and clear — about what they do and don't want to do, to eat, to wear. **L says no to the food as soon as you pull it out of the fridge, while it's still in the container.**
Some children surprise with another kind of force — hitting, especially when they're frustrated. The most likely target: you. It's counter-intuitive, but this is actually a sign of trust. A 17-month-old child knows that you're a safe person to show just how upset and frustrated he can get. **When L gets frustrated, she hits & scratches...very annoying. Also, if you tell her no while she has food in her mouth or try to take away food so she'll swallow the food in her mouth before she puts more in (b/c it's already too full), she'll spit all the food that she had in her mouth out...also annoying.**
What you can do
You may also notice that your child occasionally but very deliberately disobeys your orders. You say, "Please stay away from that vase," and your toddler looks right at you, reaches out, and touches the vase, or plucks a flower from it. You know he got your message, so rather than let the defiance become a big deal, experts say to simply ignore it whenever possible. In fact, it's important to try to avoid a confrontation with every little issue.
Other developments: Comforting routines, growing trust of other people
The first time you forget to read your toddler a bedtime story, don't be surprised if he reminds you. Toddlers thrive on routine, and they may remember each step of a particular ritual. If your child's end-of-day routine features bathing, drying hair, brushing teeth, picking out books, and then reading together in bed, there's a good chance that if you try to skip one or more of these steps, your 17-month-old will protest.
Even at this young age, toddlers can be quite adamant about following rituals, some of which may make no sense to you. For instance, when you tuck your child into bed at night, he may insist that you cover his favorite doll or stuffed animal with a certain blanket — and only that blanket. Or he may want to drink his milk from one particular cup, or insist on oatmeal for breakfast every single day for a month. Though these demands may puzzle or even annoy you, they serve an important purpose: Routines help to make your child's world more predictable.
At 17 months, most children are becoming less wary of strangers. At the grocery store your child may say hello to every person you pass in the aisles — something he never did before. **L does this ALL the time. Every person in the airport yesterday and EVERY person in Trader Joes today.** Or when you go to music or tumbling class, he will suddenly want to be near the instructor. Mom and Dad are still the most important people in his life, but he is starting to develop special relationships with other people, too. He may even associate extended family, caregivers, and neighbors with certain activities. When you visit his grandparents, for instance, your toddler may pull his "Papa" out into the garden to investigate the roses he showed him on his last visit.
New this month: Feeling negative
You may be surprised by the force of your child's likes and dislikes. Even at 17 months, toddlers can be very clear — loud and clear — about what they do and don't want to do, to eat, to wear. **L says no to the food as soon as you pull it out of the fridge, while it's still in the container.**
Some children surprise with another kind of force — hitting, especially when they're frustrated. The most likely target: you. It's counter-intuitive, but this is actually a sign of trust. A 17-month-old child knows that you're a safe person to show just how upset and frustrated he can get. **When L gets frustrated, she hits & scratches...very annoying. Also, if you tell her no while she has food in her mouth or try to take away food so she'll swallow the food in her mouth before she puts more in (b/c it's already too full), she'll spit all the food that she had in her mouth out...also annoying.**
What you can do
You may also notice that your child occasionally but very deliberately disobeys your orders. You say, "Please stay away from that vase," and your toddler looks right at you, reaches out, and touches the vase, or plucks a flower from it. You know he got your message, so rather than let the defiance become a big deal, experts say to simply ignore it whenever possible. In fact, it's important to try to avoid a confrontation with every little issue.
Other developments: Comforting routines, growing trust of other people
The first time you forget to read your toddler a bedtime story, don't be surprised if he reminds you. Toddlers thrive on routine, and they may remember each step of a particular ritual. If your child's end-of-day routine features bathing, drying hair, brushing teeth, picking out books, and then reading together in bed, there's a good chance that if you try to skip one or more of these steps, your 17-month-old will protest.
Even at this young age, toddlers can be quite adamant about following rituals, some of which may make no sense to you. For instance, when you tuck your child into bed at night, he may insist that you cover his favorite doll or stuffed animal with a certain blanket — and only that blanket. Or he may want to drink his milk from one particular cup, or insist on oatmeal for breakfast every single day for a month. Though these demands may puzzle or even annoy you, they serve an important purpose: Routines help to make your child's world more predictable.
At 17 months, most children are becoming less wary of strangers. At the grocery store your child may say hello to every person you pass in the aisles — something he never did before. **L does this ALL the time. Every person in the airport yesterday and EVERY person in Trader Joes today.** Or when you go to music or tumbling class, he will suddenly want to be near the instructor. Mom and Dad are still the most important people in his life, but he is starting to develop special relationships with other people, too. He may even associate extended family, caregivers, and neighbors with certain activities. When you visit his grandparents, for instance, your toddler may pull his "Papa" out into the garden to investigate the roses he showed him on his last visit.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday, 11/23/08...visit from D's Grandparents...
Having fun in the jumperoo!
The cousins
Can you see the family resemblance?? :)
4 Generations
Our beautiful blessing :)
To see more highlights from today Click here.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
How we're surviving...
I think that's just it. We're surviving. We're trying to live the best we know how for the sake of L. We feel compelled not to mope around b/c she needs us. She's bringing joy to our lives that we desperately need right now. She brings us out of our despair even if it's just during the hours we're with her. The hardest time for me is when I'm left alone with my own thoughts. I would love to just sleep and sleep and sleep, yet I'm finding it extremely difficult to fall asleep...all I think about is our baby who is no more. I want to move on...to move past the overwhelming sadness and all the tears, but we're just not sure that anything other than time is going to help. It's weird to know in your head that it was for the best and it's all in God's plan, and yet your heart feels such grieving and sadness. I know many have travelled this road before us, but it doesn't make our pain any less. Having our baby die will probably be with me every day of my life. Please continue to pray for our comfort and how to live on without her as part of our family.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Tuesday, 11/18/08...Our 17-month-old
By now your toddler may be able to climb up a set of stairs, turn around at the top and sit, then scoot her way back down. Some more cautious toddlers may like climbing up the stairs but will call for help to get back down. Sign your child up for a toddler gymnastics class at the local Y or community center where she can climb and tumble over soft play structures without getting hurt. Or make your own play area at home by stacking pillows on top of a mattress or futon on the floor to make a pint-size climbing course.
How your toddler's growing: She's becoming much easier to understand now that she often combines pointing with a word or two. And her growing independence is asserting itself in numerous ways: She can undress herself (dressing herself will come much later), brush her teeth without your help and feed her dolly. But you should continue to brush her teeth for her, until she truly masters the job.
She can sort things by color, shape, and type, which makes toys that encourage sorting particularly popular now. If "no" hasn't already become her favorite word, she'll begin using it with a vengeance. She's gradually easing toward one nap each day, which means this is a transition period that's potentially hard on both of you. If she's having trouble sleeping, try cuddling up with her for a few minutes to make it extra cozy.
How your life's changing: Toddlers are known for being finicky eaters, so save yourself some time and heartache by keeping meal preparation simple. But try to present a fairly good mix of foods on her plate at every meal. If you offer a variety of healthy options, chances are she'll get all the nutrition she needs — though it may mean she's eating her vegetables at one end of the day and grains at the other.
How your toddler's growing: She's becoming much easier to understand now that she often combines pointing with a word or two. And her growing independence is asserting itself in numerous ways: She can undress herself (dressing herself will come much later), brush her teeth without your help and feed her dolly. But you should continue to brush her teeth for her, until she truly masters the job.
She can sort things by color, shape, and type, which makes toys that encourage sorting particularly popular now. If "no" hasn't already become her favorite word, she'll begin using it with a vengeance. She's gradually easing toward one nap each day, which means this is a transition period that's potentially hard on both of you. If she's having trouble sleeping, try cuddling up with her for a few minutes to make it extra cozy.
How your life's changing: Toddlers are known for being finicky eaters, so save yourself some time and heartache by keeping meal preparation simple. But try to present a fairly good mix of foods on her plate at every meal. If you offer a variety of healthy options, chances are she'll get all the nutrition she needs — though it may mean she's eating her vegetables at one end of the day and grains at the other.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Wednesday, 11/19/08 update
I just wanted to thank everyone for your love and support. We really appreciate all the prayers. The surgery today went really well, according to the doctor; there was hardly any bleeding and everything went smoothly. E was really tired afterword so she came home (by the time we got home it was 6:30) and went straight to bed. My aunt and uncle were able to watch L so that was a big help. It was really sad yesterday but now that the surgery happened it was like things were really final so both E and I had a good cry. Its amazing how much love you can have for someone you haven't even met. I will paraphrase what one of our friends told us: we will meet her some day, it will just be longer than 9 months. Please continue to pray for comfort and peace. Thanks again for all your support and we send our love out to all of you.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
SAD NEWS
Today, E and I had a doctor's appointment to look at the new baby. When we were seen by the doctor she had a hard time finding the heart beat with the sonigram so we had a full ultrasound. During the ultrasound she was unable to find the heartbeat and she confirmed that the baby died about 2 weeks ago. Needless to say E and I are very crushed but are comforted by the knowledge that our child is home with God right now. E will be having a D&C tomorrow at around 3:30. We ask for your prayers that the procedure goes well tomorrow and that the recovery also goes well. We also ask for prayers of comfort and peace.
L's Christmas Wish List...
I've been asked by several relatives for L's Christmas wish list so today I'm working on updating her amazon list. You can find the link on the left-hand side of the blog. On her list, you can look at what priority it is (ie: low, medium, etc.) and if I've made any comments (ie: this is available elsewhere for cheaper, etc.). I didn't put this on her list but I've heard that toy kitchens go over well so if that's something you'd like to get and you can find one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, go for it.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Friday, 11/14/08...D & astronauts...down the stairs...
I think L signed "horse" today...not exactly correctly but she waved her hands behind her head so close enough although I haven't been able to get her to repeat it.
She can very clearly say "nose" and point to her nose. It's so cute. For the longest time I thought L was saying "ma" but I finally realized this week that she's saying "more." I finally put it together when I saw her saying it and signing it at the same time.
She's VERY interested in animals. I have to keep looking up more and more animals signs online so I can tell her what they are when she asks. She goes through all her books pointed at all the animals asking "what's that?" I love her thirst for knowledge but it does get really old after repeating yourself hundreds of times per day. :)
For awhile now L's been able to go up the stairs but not down. We have tried to get her to go backwards down the stairs but she's always cried. Well I decided to try again yesterday and she whined her way down. Then today she whined her way down the first time and I had to pull her legs down to make her keep going. Then the second time, she went down the (carpeted basement) stairs all by herself. Then she did it again on the main stairs which are hardwood. And the final time, she actually got down on all fours to start at the top by herself. Yay!
On to the astronaut part...
At D's work, they held a lottery to see who could go see the astronauts from the Hubble repair mission give a talk. Well, D won a ticket and is off to go see them talk now. He was quite excited since these guys are the ones taking up the equipment that he worked on to repair the Hubble space telescope. Their visit to Ball even made the 6pm news on nbc (I just saw it). Here's the link to the written story. They have video of it too.
She can very clearly say "nose" and point to her nose. It's so cute. For the longest time I thought L was saying "ma" but I finally realized this week that she's saying "more." I finally put it together when I saw her saying it and signing it at the same time.
She's VERY interested in animals. I have to keep looking up more and more animals signs online so I can tell her what they are when she asks. She goes through all her books pointed at all the animals asking "what's that?" I love her thirst for knowledge but it does get really old after repeating yourself hundreds of times per day. :)
For awhile now L's been able to go up the stairs but not down. We have tried to get her to go backwards down the stairs but she's always cried. Well I decided to try again yesterday and she whined her way down. Then today she whined her way down the first time and I had to pull her legs down to make her keep going. Then the second time, she went down the (carpeted basement) stairs all by herself. Then she did it again on the main stairs which are hardwood. And the final time, she actually got down on all fours to start at the top by herself. Yay!
On to the astronaut part...
At D's work, they held a lottery to see who could go see the astronauts from the Hubble repair mission give a talk. Well, D won a ticket and is off to go see them talk now. He was quite excited since these guys are the ones taking up the equipment that he worked on to repair the Hubble space telescope. Their visit to Ball even made the 6pm news on nbc (I just saw it). Here's the link to the written story. They have video of it too.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Thursday, 11/13/08...Bear & dinner w/Anthony
L signed "bear" and said it too for the first time today. :) She's so cute. Here's the video.
Our friend Anthony was in town on business so we got the chance to have him over for dinner and visit a bit. It's always nice to see Anthony :) I'm so jealous...he's going to Paris in December so I got to dig out my restaurant recommendation for him.
Our friend Anthony was in town on business so we got the chance to have him over for dinner and visit a bit. It's always nice to see Anthony :) I'm so jealous...he's going to Paris in December so I got to dig out my restaurant recommendation for him.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
CHANGES TO BLOG
I've been having MAJOR problems trying to upl0ad photos lately and apparently it's a problem that lots of people on blogger have been having. When I upload the photos, about half the photo is cut off b/c the photo is so big and trying to resize the photo makes no difference.
SO, I've widened my blog in an attempt to accommodate the larger photos; HOWEVER, I couldn't get the background to widen with the typing so you'll just have to deal with that for now until I can find someone who knows how to fix it.
Thanks!
SO, I've widened my blog in an attempt to accommodate the larger photos; HOWEVER, I couldn't get the background to widen with the typing so you'll just have to deal with that for now until I can find someone who knows how to fix it.
Thanks!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Tuesday, 11/11/08...Veteran's Day & L updates
Today is the day to take a little time out to remember our veterans and say thank you to them for all they've done for our country and all the freedoms we enjoy here.
I think L can officially say "more," although I'm not sure everyone would understand it, but she says it at the same time that she signs "more." I think she can also say "squirrel" but that's way less clear and I only think that b/c she's pointing outside at one. She's been able to say "baby" for probably 4 months now, but I need to learn the sign for kid b/c she thinks any non-adult is a baby. :) Oh, and about two months ago she started saying "bye" when she waves good-bye to someone.
She definitely understands more commands and questions now but of course only obeys what she wants to and never any of the "do not do that" commands. She's getting to be quite defiant. You tell her no and she smiles at you. One thing she likes to do the last couple weeks is unzip the couch cushions and pillows and take the stuffing out. I've finally gotten just as patient as she has so the crying war ensues. She can however open the pantry door and put something in the trash if you ask her to. She actually tried to throw away a tupperware container last night b/c she was done with it. Thankfully, D caught her and took it out of the trash.
She also likes goldfish (the crackers). She used to whine and point to the counter for more, before I finally put them in the pantry. So now she'll open the pantry door and say "more, more" and point to the goldfish. It's pretty funny.
She's also getting better at playing with things. She pulls a dog on a string around the house, as well as a helicopter on a string...both presents from Uncle Dale & Aunt Candy. She can also play with cars now and make them roll, along with a train. She walks a push airplane around and can sit on it and scoot around. She can open all the doors in the house and loves to open and close, open and close, open and close...you get the idea. She LOVES big stuffed animals. She's got a monkey from the Riccis, an elephant from Aunt Jenny, and a bear from Aunt Candy & Uncle Dale that she likes to carry around the house. She can't sleep without a little monkey from my mom, which she now likes to take out of the crib so now we always have to find it again before bedtime and nap time.
She LOVES books...just can't get enough of them. She'd have me read books to her all morning long...like 4 hours in a row if I was willing to do it. And I'm willing to read each book like ten times each before I've had enough and think we should move on to something else...besides, she doesn't always like to read a book start to finish...she'll read page 1, 2, 3, then 10, 8, 2, 5, 7, etc. I try to go with the flow but there's only so much this control and order freak can handle! So needless to say, after reading books for a couple hours this morning, I'm happy that she's actually playing by herself and not screaming at my feet while I type, which is the norm, which is why this blog isn't updated nearly as regularly as it used to be...b/c I hardly get in any computer time while she's awake and when she's napping, I'm napping b/c pregnancy has zapped all my energy. I even wake up from my nap feeling more tired than when I began but then I'm tired again before 7pm. :) I can't wait to my first trimester to be over!
We've also had quite a few colds since September when Bible study/playgroup/everyone else's school started. She got really bad colds twice, which she of course gave both of us. Out of 6 weeks, we were sick for like 5 of them. L had a cough that wouldn't go away and she finally got diagnosed with walking pneumonia, got on antibiotics and got better. I think she's caught another cold, from playgroup no doubt, so hopefully this time we don't get it and it doesn't turn into pneumonia again, since they said she might be susceptible to that again if she got sick again quickly. I just want everyone to be healthy for our trip to CA for Thanksgiving!
Okay, I gotta run...L's whining at my feet again for more attention.
I think L can officially say "more," although I'm not sure everyone would understand it, but she says it at the same time that she signs "more." I think she can also say "squirrel" but that's way less clear and I only think that b/c she's pointing outside at one. She's been able to say "baby" for probably 4 months now, but I need to learn the sign for kid b/c she thinks any non-adult is a baby. :) Oh, and about two months ago she started saying "bye" when she waves good-bye to someone.
She definitely understands more commands and questions now but of course only obeys what she wants to and never any of the "do not do that" commands. She's getting to be quite defiant. You tell her no and she smiles at you. One thing she likes to do the last couple weeks is unzip the couch cushions and pillows and take the stuffing out. I've finally gotten just as patient as she has so the crying war ensues. She can however open the pantry door and put something in the trash if you ask her to. She actually tried to throw away a tupperware container last night b/c she was done with it. Thankfully, D caught her and took it out of the trash.
She also likes goldfish (the crackers). She used to whine and point to the counter for more, before I finally put them in the pantry. So now she'll open the pantry door and say "more, more" and point to the goldfish. It's pretty funny.
She's also getting better at playing with things. She pulls a dog on a string around the house, as well as a helicopter on a string...both presents from Uncle Dale & Aunt Candy. She can also play with cars now and make them roll, along with a train. She walks a push airplane around and can sit on it and scoot around. She can open all the doors in the house and loves to open and close, open and close, open and close...you get the idea. She LOVES big stuffed animals. She's got a monkey from the Riccis, an elephant from Aunt Jenny, and a bear from Aunt Candy & Uncle Dale that she likes to carry around the house. She can't sleep without a little monkey from my mom, which she now likes to take out of the crib so now we always have to find it again before bedtime and nap time.
She LOVES books...just can't get enough of them. She'd have me read books to her all morning long...like 4 hours in a row if I was willing to do it. And I'm willing to read each book like ten times each before I've had enough and think we should move on to something else...besides, she doesn't always like to read a book start to finish...she'll read page 1, 2, 3, then 10, 8, 2, 5, 7, etc. I try to go with the flow but there's only so much this control and order freak can handle! So needless to say, after reading books for a couple hours this morning, I'm happy that she's actually playing by herself and not screaming at my feet while I type, which is the norm, which is why this blog isn't updated nearly as regularly as it used to be...b/c I hardly get in any computer time while she's awake and when she's napping, I'm napping b/c pregnancy has zapped all my energy. I even wake up from my nap feeling more tired than when I began but then I'm tired again before 7pm. :) I can't wait to my first trimester to be over!
We've also had quite a few colds since September when Bible study/playgroup/everyone else's school started. She got really bad colds twice, which she of course gave both of us. Out of 6 weeks, we were sick for like 5 of them. L had a cough that wouldn't go away and she finally got diagnosed with walking pneumonia, got on antibiotics and got better. I think she's caught another cold, from playgroup no doubt, so hopefully this time we don't get it and it doesn't turn into pneumonia again, since they said she might be susceptible to that again if she got sick again quickly. I just want everyone to be healthy for our trip to CA for Thanksgiving!
Okay, I gotta run...L's whining at my feet again for more attention.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Our 16-month-old: Week 4
Toddlers live large, play hard, and love big. When they get upset, they can start acting irrationally, just like adults do. And they often use emotional outbursts to clear out the bad feelings — which may feel good to them but isn't always easy for you. Before losing your cool, remember that your child's lack of self-control is normal and that he'll eventually learn what's socially acceptable by the way you and others react to his antics. Try to respond calmly and enforce the limits you've set so things don't escalate. **easier said than done! I'm really getting sick of her whining and crying when she doesn't get what she wants!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Thursday, 11/6/08: Our pregnancy: 9 weeks
Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Elections...
I am sorely disappointed with a majority of this nation. People just don't get it (or at least most don't...i do have friends that want a socialist which at least they know what they are voting for). I also totally don't understand why Boulder County has to keep voting to increase taxes...3 ballot measures...all passes...all increase taxes. At least liberal Californians have the good sense not to increase taxes!!! arrr.... Well at least I put my hope and faith in God, not a government, and I've read Revelations so I know it's all going down hill at some point.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Tuesday 11/6/08...L signs "cat" and "frog"
Today L started signing "kitty cat" and "froggy" for the first time. It's so cute.
Video of "kitty cat" sign.
Video of more signs.
I'll try to get a better video of it at some point. :)
Video of "kitty cat" sign.
Video of more signs.
I'll try to get a better video of it at some point. :)
Vote For God's Heart On Tuesday
this letter is from my pastor. I've voted for God's heart and I hope you will/did too.
Dear Cornerstone Family & Friends,
Tomorrow’s election is extremely important because there are so many critical issues at stake. Many of these issues are a matter of personal convictions and preference, but some fall into the category of the sacred. Sacred issues are those that are close to God’s heart. They are issues that leave no room for personal convictions or preferences.
No candidate is a perfect candidate, but I believe we should always vote for the ones who best support God’s heart.
Here are what I believe are the top three sacred issues to consider before heading off to the polling booths tomorrow:
1. LIFE
Life is precious to God. He laid down his life so that we could live. We need leaders, therefore, who have a compassionate view of life from conception to death. From the unborn to the elderly, we need leaders who will fight for all those who are sick, oppressed, or underprivileged. We can’t pick and choose which lives are more important because all life is precious to God. Every life deserves to be loved, cared, respected, and valued. Vote for the candidates who have the broadest definition of what constitutes a life.
2. FAMILY
Human life began with the marital union between Adam and Eve- a man and a woman. God charged them with building the family of man. God wasn’t just after building numbers, but building a home where each member of the household would be loved, nurtured, protected and valued in radical ways. We need leaders, therefore, who support values and legislation designed to strengthen marriages between men and women and that protect the family.
3. ISRAEL
God loves all the people of this word, but Israel is unquestionably a unique people and land from a Biblical perspective. It is the place of God’s eternal affection and the epicenter of Biblical events throughout history and beyond. We need leaders, therefore, who understand Israel’s Biblical significance and who will support her protection as God’s chosen people and chosen land. To be chosen by God is to be targeted by Satan, and no people and land has paid a higher price than Israel. Evil spiritual forces will continue to target Israel for extermination and we need leaders who understand this battle on a spiritual level.
Be informed! Take some time today to investigate the candidates. Leave your personal convictions and preferences out of the equation and make sure you vote for ones who best support God’s heart in these three sacred issues. Make your vote count.
One more thing to consider. I truly believe that it is critical to exercise our privilege to vote tomorrow. However, when the election results are in, it is also important to know that the candidates who are elected will be the ones God appointed for this hour in His-story.
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1
Please vote for the men and women who will best represent God’s heart, but please don’t stress out if those candidates aren’t elected. God is in control and we should find peace and comfort in that truth. Whoever gets elected on Tuesday deserves our respect and support on Wednesday, for this too, is sacred to God.
Feel free to pass this email on to your friends and family.
Rabbi Gene
Cornerstone Church
Boulder, Colorado
Dear Cornerstone Family & Friends,
Tomorrow’s election is extremely important because there are so many critical issues at stake. Many of these issues are a matter of personal convictions and preference, but some fall into the category of the sacred. Sacred issues are those that are close to God’s heart. They are issues that leave no room for personal convictions or preferences.
No candidate is a perfect candidate, but I believe we should always vote for the ones who best support God’s heart.
Here are what I believe are the top three sacred issues to consider before heading off to the polling booths tomorrow:
1. LIFE
Life is precious to God. He laid down his life so that we could live. We need leaders, therefore, who have a compassionate view of life from conception to death. From the unborn to the elderly, we need leaders who will fight for all those who are sick, oppressed, or underprivileged. We can’t pick and choose which lives are more important because all life is precious to God. Every life deserves to be loved, cared, respected, and valued. Vote for the candidates who have the broadest definition of what constitutes a life.
2. FAMILY
Human life began with the marital union between Adam and Eve- a man and a woman. God charged them with building the family of man. God wasn’t just after building numbers, but building a home where each member of the household would be loved, nurtured, protected and valued in radical ways. We need leaders, therefore, who support values and legislation designed to strengthen marriages between men and women and that protect the family.
3. ISRAEL
God loves all the people of this word, but Israel is unquestionably a unique people and land from a Biblical perspective. It is the place of God’s eternal affection and the epicenter of Biblical events throughout history and beyond. We need leaders, therefore, who understand Israel’s Biblical significance and who will support her protection as God’s chosen people and chosen land. To be chosen by God is to be targeted by Satan, and no people and land has paid a higher price than Israel. Evil spiritual forces will continue to target Israel for extermination and we need leaders who understand this battle on a spiritual level.
Be informed! Take some time today to investigate the candidates. Leave your personal convictions and preferences out of the equation and make sure you vote for ones who best support God’s heart in these three sacred issues. Make your vote count.
One more thing to consider. I truly believe that it is critical to exercise our privilege to vote tomorrow. However, when the election results are in, it is also important to know that the candidates who are elected will be the ones God appointed for this hour in His-story.
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
Romans 13:1
Please vote for the men and women who will best represent God’s heart, but please don’t stress out if those candidates aren’t elected. God is in control and we should find peace and comfort in that truth. Whoever gets elected on Tuesday deserves our respect and support on Wednesday, for this too, is sacred to God.
Feel free to pass this email on to your friends and family.
Rabbi Gene
Cornerstone Church
Boulder, Colorado
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