Raw Milk and Food Freedom

Okay, y'all know I'm pretty crunchy. Right? I mean, I make my own laundry detergent...and I frequent the farmer's markets, and many other things you may not be privy to...like the fact that I won't use hand sanitizers, chemical cleansers of any kind, or medications (at least, when I can avoid them)...or the fact that I use homemade shampoo...and...homemade deodorant. (It's true.) You might have even tried my fave, quite-crunchy granola! ;)

But probably the crunchiest of all the things I do is drink fresh milk, aka "raw milk." Gasp! Yep. I drink it. And I give it to my kidlets to drink as well. And I am at complete peace with that. Because it is the way God gave it to us. It has not been stripped of all its great qualities. It has not been tampered with. It is purely awesome. I may or may not discuss this further at some point, but for right now I just wanted to mention that I'm bringing my kiddos with me tomorrow morning to show my support of House Bill 1536, which would allow small farmers to sell up to 500 gallons of raw milk (either goat's or cow's) per month to consumers at their farms. That would be sooooo nice...seeing as how THAT would be constitutional.

In case you might like to support such a bill as well, here is a list of House committee members to call (first thing in the morning) or email (right now):

Members of the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development     

  

Shepherd, Matthew J. (R-6) - Chair

870-862-2087, matthew.shepherd@arkansashouse.org 

  

Steel, Nate (D-19) - Vice Chair

870-845-1870, nate.steel@arkansashouse.org 

  

Ballinger, Bob (R-97) 870-423-1035

bob@bobballinger.com 

  

Branscum, David L. (R-83) 870-448-2408

davidlbranscum@hotmail.com 

  

Douglas, Charlotte Vining (R-75) 479-632-2187

douglasforarkansas@yahoo.com 

  

Douglas, Dan M. (R-91) 479-619-9231

dan-douglas@sbcglobal.net 

  

Edwards, John Charles (D-35) 501-378-5500

jcedwardslaw@aol.com 

  

Eubanks, Jon S. (R-74) 479-438-0533

Jon.Eubanks@arkansashouse.org 

  

Gillam, Jeremy (R-45) 501-729-0042

jeremy@growing45.com 

  

Jean, Lane (R-2) 870-234-5433

l_jean@sbcglobal.net 

  

Jett, Joe (D-56) 870-276-5319

joe.jett@arkansashouse.org 

  

Lampkin, Sheilla E. (D-9) 870-723-6449

Sheilla.Lampkin@arkansashouse.org 

  

Leding, Greg (D-86) 479-966-9201

greg@gregleding.com 

  

Lenderman, Homer (D-53) 870-926-7914

homer.lenderman@arkansashouse.org 

  

Linck, Kelley (R-99) 870-404-2741

kelley@kelleylinck.com 

  

Magie, Stephen (D-72) 501-327-4444

stephen.magie@arkansashouse.org 

  

McCrary, Walls (D-14) 501-676-2317

ewmccrary@sbcglobal.net 

  

Meeks, Stephen (R-67) 501-314-9250

Stephen.Meeks@arkansashouse.org 

  

Ratliff, James (D-60) 501-454-5200

jamesratliff3468@yahoo.com 

  

Thompson, Tommy (D-65) 501-208-2007

tt4rep@att.net

Or SHOW UP tomorrow morning and show your support that way! 
  

WHEN:    9 a.m. Friday on April 5, 2013 

 

WHERE:  Arkansas State Capitol

                  Room 138  Arkansas House
                  500 Woodlane Street 

                  Little Rock, AR

Mercy for Me, for You

It's been a long, long time since I've had anything to say. I don't really know how to explain it (quickly), except to say that things were busy before...and then they just got busier and busier. At least, that's my explanation for now. Because something else has my focus at this moment. Something else is weighing heavy on my heart.

I've just been thinking about how merciful my God is. Certainly, He is abundantly merciful to ME. But I was just thinking about certain holidays. Christmas and Easter. Mostly about Easter, at the moment. How the stores are FILLED with Easter dresses, baskets, candy, and bunnies. How everyone and their grandma is out on Saturday doing last minute shopping for white dress shoes and the like. (I'm not going to say how I know this...) And it just made me think. Huh...

ALL of these people surely don't know my Jesus.

And sometimes that just bothers me. That everyone's out celebrating a holiday that they don't really even KNOW anything about. Or at least, CARE anything about. In fact, in a matter of days these will be the very same people NOT believing God's Word to be true and NOT standing up for the lives of unborn babies and NOT being obedient to His Word and NOT knowing Jesus...really knowing Him.

I guess it can be just a little annoying...when the Easter holiday means so much to me, and to so many others. Christ's perfect life lived on earth, His horrific, sacrificial death on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead...

These things mean salvation, grace, love, mercy, compassion, rescue, redemption, hope, victory, and sweet, sweet assurance for me!  So. much.

But you know what it means to God???

GLORY!!!!!

GLORY!!

Glory.

The very REASON the world is busy filling baskets and dyeing eggs...is Jesus. HE is the reason. And this reminds me of how incredibly merciful my God truly is. He allows absolute pagans to celebrate His events. He lets them attend the Easter parades and show off the new clothes. And He loves them deeply whether they know it or not. Maybe a few of them will even make it to church on Sunday morning. Maybe. And though He deserves so much more--so much more of our praise and adoration--though He deserves our whole LIVES--He is glorified, nonetheless. That, in itself, is stunning.

I am just so humbly grateful to have been called to His side. To have been washed by His blood. HUMBLY grateful. Because I don't deserve anything but death. I am depraved and corrupt, wicked and disgusting. And yet, in God's eyes I am clean. Now and forevermore.

Thank you, Jesus, for the cross! 

Today is about Him, for Him, by Him, in honor of Him, to Him, of Him. Because...

He took ALL my blame. And all of yours. And all the blame of the whole, entire world from before to beyond. And He did it because of love and mercy for us. And we did NOT deserve that.

Lord, let me never, never

outlive my love for thee...

He lived as one of us on earth, only doing it perfectly, without sin. He willingly died a gruesome, mocking death. And then...oh, then...he conquered death itself. He proved He was wholly God by rising from the grave. That's MY God!! How can I NOT want to live my life for His honor and glory?

He's alive!! He's alive! Heaven's gates are open wide!

Yes.

Glory!

Still Counting...(663-686)

#663 A Gift Hole

#664  A Gift Whole

#665  A Gift Half

Project 365: Week 33 "yes, i'm that behind"

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Paul has his car for sale on Craigslist at the moment, so he's been spending a lot of the weekend visiting car lots with one or several kiddos. Today, apparently, there was an empty golf cart. Just sitting there. WITH the keys left in it. And...apparently, that proved far too tempting for a certain daddy and his son who happen to enjoy a good race ever so often.

Seasons Change, Mommies Shop

It's time once again for this here mommy to get her shoppin' on at none other than...

Rhea Lana West Little Rock Consignment Sale!!

There are several reasons WHY.

But right now...it just might be that I'm banking on the off-chance that it WILL one day turn cooler.

Maybe.

Well, I'm hopeful anyway...

And we'll actually need some long sleeves!

Maybe even some stuff for bundling. (Oh, that sounds so nice right about now.)

Of course, there's also the inevitable "FaShiOn sHoW" after Mommy's been to Rhea Lana.

That.

My friends.

Is priceless.

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Shop at Rhea Lana starting this Sunday, September 16.

Dates and location are as follows:

Sunday, September 16 through Saturday, September 22

Many items HALF-price beginning Friday, September 21!

3801 Camp Robinson 

(old Walmart)

North Little Rock

(Exit 152 off of I40 behind U.S. Bank)

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See ya there!

Project 365: Weeks 31 & 32 "it's a wild & crazy life"

Sunday, July 29, 2012

We had a sweet friend over to spend the night tonight. We were all so very excited and had to tell him all kinds of random facts and show him all our treasures.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Pal-ing on the couch

One Summer Day at the Wonder Place