Kindred Spirits Sisters

How to Start Seeds Indoors

2012-01-31T07:34:00.002-05:00

Starting seeds indoors is something I haven't mastered. I can get anything to grow, but keeping them alive is another story. Light and temperature are the keys to getting them beyond their first set of leaves. That is my goal for this year.

In the following video, the GardenGirl shows you different methods of converting an space into a seed starting area. Any window are will do, but she does every project big. Extra lighting is important, and this can be done with a shop light with grow lights, or a ready-made light kit. Also, if the room you are using to sprout in is very cool, you'll want the heating matte.

I'm not too crazy about starting indoor plots or in re-usable containers, the way she did. How on earth do you get the plant out without tearing it up? Transplanting is a delicate process, so disposable cups or peat pots seem the logical way to go.

Here's the video:

(YouTube link)

More info on grow lights

Media and Children

2012-01-26T07:24:00.000-05:00

Dimitri Christakis is a pediatrician, parent, and researcher whose influential findings are helping identify optimal media exposure for children. See how different forms of television programming is detrimental to brain growth.

(YouTube link)

How to Make Homemade Pantyliners

2012-01-24T18:10:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed that there are more buzz words being used in the media like: sustainability, minimizing our carbon footprint, and going green? As we get closer to the year when the Agenda 21 environmentalists create a new world for us, we will all have to make adjustments to the way we live. Many of the cleaning supplies, paper products, grocery bags, and sanitary napkins will become harder to come by, or they will no longer be sold. If products aren't Earth/eco friendly and biodegradable - you can kiss them goodbye.

I have begun to do little things to prepare for the unwanted changes that will come. This week I made my first set of homemade cloth pantyliners. When I started to do my research, I found that they come in different shapes and sizes. Women make them with different types of fabrics, and some are lined with waterproof fabric. Since they are pricey, I decided to blow the dust off of my sewing machine and make my own. I had waterproof liner left over from those crazy-looking menstrual pads I made a few years ago, so I made a couple with the liner. I made a seven in all, just in case they weren't able to get through the laundry in time. This is how I did it.

Preshrink and iron your fabric.
Print off this pattern and cut it out on the line.
You will need enough fabric of your choice for two wing bases, and two pad pieces. If you were going to make several, you will be working with one yard of fabric from each color fabric. Fold it over, with right sides together, until you have enough to lay out the pattern plus 1/4 inch extra.

Pad and wings were contrasting flannel colors.

Trace around the pattern, using a regular pen or fine marker. You are marking on the wrong side, so it will not not show. If you are using very dark fabric, white Milky brand gel pens work great. Make sure you can see the line. This will be the line you put your sewing stitches on.
Pin, and roughly cut out the fabric, Then sew directly on the line you made, all the way around. Do not leave a gap in your sewing for turning inside out. Yes, there is correct, I'll get to that in a minute.

The wings

The pad

Trim the edge down to 1/8th inch. This will allow the curves to ease nicely, but will give you just enough seam so your stitches don't tear out.
Once you have a wing base, and a pad part sewn, cut a one inch slit, and then turn inside out. Finger press until the whole thing is turned completely and smooth. Press both pieces, making your edges sharp.

Both pieces have slits placed in them, so you can turn them right side out. If you want them lined, insert the fabric through the hole in the pad. The liner is made from reusable quilted baby bed pads for baby cribs.

Top stitch the wing edge first, then the inside line of the pad. Now lay the two pieces together, with the slits facing each other (neither slit should be visible) and pin. You will now sew along the outside edge of the pad, which is the only stitching you'll do to keep the two pieces together.

That was the easy part. The next thing you'll need to do is attach either a velcro button, a snap, or place a button and button hole onto the edge of your wing. I used a snap. They need to be going in the right correction in order for them to snap. It's tricky, but you'll get the hang of it.

Aren't they some sweet looking pads?

And they'll save me money in the long run. I've laundered them since finishing them up and they did great in the wash. I'll never have to buy a pantyliner again!

~Pattern and instruction help was provided by shewhorunsintheforest.

Seriousness in Children and Teens

2012-01-15T20:03:00.000-05:00

by Jim Elliff

It is increasingly obvious that children and young people in many evangelical churches are anything but serious about Christ. There are notable exceptions, but in many churches a cursory look at the behavioral signals put out by the young people reveal a profound disinterest. On the one hand there is a sort of giddiness and silliness by some who believe that church is there only to provide them a place for enjoying friends and impressing the opposite sex. On the other hand, a complete boredom or disdain for worship and the Word is seen in their dull eyes and passive participation. This should grieve us.

A theological misunderstanding is to be blamed for much of this. We have failed to understand that children and young people are not God-lovers until the Spirit changes them. They are dead to God. Our attempts at getting these young people to "pray the prayer" when they were small have not necessarily made them children of God. Their behavior belies the true state of their hearts.

God has said that the only hope for them, therefore, is the regenerating work of the Spirit in the context of the preaching of the Word (James 1:18). However, our inadequate view of depravity and the inability of man has led us to resort instead to a greater confidence in entertainment to reach them and a minimizing of the use of the Word.

If God has ordained that the Word and the Spirit are the only hope for these kids, then we should not avoid the means God has promised to bless. Our Bible studies for young people should be more intense and our prayers more fervent for the Spirit's intervention. Children and young people ought to be sitting with their parents in worship services in order to avoid the distraction of other friends. As much as it is possible, we should not encourage young children to draw and play during the preaching of the Word since we are training listeners, not idle-minded pew sitters. And parents must show in their own enthusiasm their love and need for the Word. Pastors should seek to preach convictionally and refer often to the need of the children and teens to obey the Scriptures. And churches should weep for their children in corporate prayer. The answer is not in providing more fun things to do for the children. The answer is in the Word and the Spirit!

If a more intense and prayerful approach to our young people does not reach them, or if many refuse to participate because there is not enough entertainment to appeal to their love of pleasure, then we should not be confused. Our children are like all the rest of the world in their attitude about God (Eph. 2:1-3). They run from the light, just as Jesus said (Jn. 3:19-21).

Why must we assume that every great youth group has to be large and fun, when Jesus himself demonstrated that truth alienates and godly fellowship makes the unregenerate uncomfortable? Isn't John 15:19 just as true of youth groups as it is of the missionaries in Muslim countries? "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

If you are inclined to be angry at someone in leadership of your church because your child does not have fun in church, then first consider if the source of the problem is in the heart of your child. Please don't make the criteria for judging the success of a church's efforts at reaching children and teens the fun-value of the meetings. God did not command the church to provide entertainment for your kids. And if you must speak out about it at all, attempt to increase, rather than to decrease the intensity and effectiveness of prayer and Bible study as a means to reach the hearts of the children. If you chose to do otherwise, you could be working against the Spirit.

Nothing is more appealing, on the other side of this issue, than those young people who are intent upon following God at any cost. The history of revival is filled with stories of such youth and children who demonstrated their faith by their deeds. In some cases, it was the youth who were the first recipients of the grace of God in revival. Somehow I cannot imagine that our emphasis on entertainment for the youth promotes the concept of authentic revival. And, frankly, I am saddened by church leaders who persist in believing otherwise.

~I do not endorse this teacher, but only share his viewpoint.

Beauty: The Brainwashing of American Women

2012-01-09T09:45:00.001-05:00

(YouTube link)

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fears the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30

In his commentary, Matthew Henry (1662-1714) wrote:

"This is the description of a virtuous woman of those days, but the general outlines equally suit every age and nation. She is very careful to recommend herself to her husband's esteem and affection, to know his mind, and is willing that he rule over her.

She can be trusted, and he will leave such a wife to manage for him. He is happy in her. And she makes it her constant business to do him good.
She is one that takes pains in her duties, and takes pleasure in them. She is careful to fill up time, that none be lost. She rises early. She applies herself to the business proper for her, to women's business. She does what she does, with all her power, and trifles not.
She makes what she does turn to good account by prudent management. Many undo themselves by buying, without considering whether they can afford it. She provides well for her house. She lays up for hereafter.
She looks well to the ways of her household, that she may oblige all to do their duty to God and one another, as well as to her.
She is intent upon giving as upon getting, and does it freely and cheerfully.
She is discreet and obliging; every word she says, shows she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, and shows itself in the tongue. Her heart is full of another world, even when her hands are most busy about this world.
Above all, she fears the Lord. Beauty recommends none to God, nor is it any proof of wisdom and goodness, but it has deceived many a man who made his choice of a wife by it. But the fear of God reigning in the heart, is the beauty of the soul; it lasts for ever.
She has firmness to bear up under crosses and disappointments. She shall reflect with comfort when she comes to be old, that she was not idle or useless when young. She shall rejoice in a world to come. She is a great blessing to her relations. If the fruit be good, the tree must have our good word. But she leaves it to her own works to praise her.

Every one ought to desire this honour that cometh from God; and according to this standard we all ought to regulate our judgments. This description let all women daily study, who desire to be truly beloved and respected, useful and honourable."

A great reality check!

Considering Church at Home

2012-01-03T21:19:00.000-05:00

Since leaving the organized church about 2 years ago, my husband and I have been having church at home. We decided to spend our Sundays at home because of the compromise within our area churches - and because we are both looking for something completely different in an organized church. Having church at home doesn't offer the ideal situation, but it does offer the devotional time important for all of us.

From the beginning, we opened our home to an Asian couple who were also unable to find a place of worship. This past Sunday, we had another Asian couple join us, along with their beautiful 2-year old son. It was close and wonderful.

What We Do
We have made it a practice to have our meal first. Since we do meet close to lunchtime, we decided that the children would concentrate better on a full stomach. We then open in prayer, and my husband leads a short study - one of which he has chosen directly from the Word. He then closes in prayer, and we fellowship for about another 1/2 hour.

It in no way follows the traditional church format, but early believers didn't have a firm format either. We don't anticipate that our family will grow to be a huge house church. Our goal is to get to know a couple of families well and learn the Bible along with them.

Some Basic Guidelines
In the following video, the speaker helps you form a house church from a biblical perspective. He discusses some legitimate issues.

(YouTube link) (Follow link for remaining 9 parts.)

Depression Cooking: Tomato Sauce from Scratch

2011-12-26T06:49:00.000-05:00

Clara concludes the series on Depression Cooking by making tomato sauce with pasta.

(YouTube link) (Watch to the end)

Becky's Homestead: Sheet Mulching

2011-12-18T19:48:00.002-05:00

Layers of cardboard + compost + wood chips = Better soil

In this episode of Becky's Homestead, she uses the permaculture method of building her garden soil called sheet mulching. It looks strange when you begin to watch it, but it is a legitimate method of gardening. If the garden site suffers from soil compaction, loss of vegetation, erosion and overall degradation, this method has been proven to help.

This no-till method builds soil by layering compost, cardboard and wood chips to prepare for planting. The contents used can be flexible, since you can also use a thick blanket wood chips, plus leaf litter or other plant material layered over cardboard or newspaper. The cardboard smothers the weeds and serves as a weed barrier, while the mulch covers the cardboard, and both decompose into a rich, loamy wonderment. In addition, the fungi that break the cardboard and newspaper down produce a sugar that attracts earthworms, one of the finest contributors to healthy soil. See what you think.

(YouTube link)

Another video on sheet mulching.

The Christmas Industrial Complex

2011-12-12T21:27:00.000-05:00

You've heard of the Military Industrial Complex, and if you read my other blog you know about the Christian Industrial Complex. Today I'd like to draw your attention to the Christmas Industrial Complex. The Christmas celebration as we know it today, is clearly pagan in origin - and it has Satan's prints all over it.

Have you ever wondered WWJD if He returned before Christmas? Perhaps he would treat the local department stores in the same manner he did the money changers.

Did you know that the celebration of Christmas by the Puritans was virtually non-existent. The Puritan community found no Scriptural justification for celebrating Christmas, and associated such celebrations with paganism and idolatry. The earliest years of the Plymouth colony were troubled with non-Puritans attempting to make merry, and Governor William Bradford was forced to reprimand offenders.

What was their beef? Watch this short video and learn the pagan origins of Christmas.

(YouTube link)

By the late nineteenth century, Americans fashioned the day into the Christmas of commercialism, liberal spirituality, and nostalgia that most Americans recognize today.

Even if it may be too late to change the celebration of Christmas this year, but perhaps you'll join me in a Merry Un-Christmas next year. It's something to think about!

Removing the Ancient Landmarks

2011-12-05T00:38:00.000-05:00

"But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares

among the wheat, and went his way." Matt. 13:25

Today's generation has “itching ears” for a new type of Christianity, rather than the old somber, strict, separatist one. Many pastors and teachers have purposed to reinvent church, to keep its members from drifting away, and to reel in the lost. They do this from the perspective that the Church needs to be more concerned with making the message less offensive and more palatable for the visitors, at the cost of not feeding the flock.

As many of you know, this type of compromise is a slippery slope. It is a steady downward path that will have serious consequences on the future of the Church. Once we start to listen to those who compromise the Truth and have less of a concern for teaching Biblical doctrine, we begin a slide that has no end.

Taken from the Eastern Religions, labyrinth walking and

focusing prayer have been repackaged to appear Christian.

Buyer Beware of New Age Practices
Many church growth leaders have convinced pastors to embrace the coming paradigm shift. They say that in order for a church to be healthy, they need to implement certain programs and disciples to keep the Church vital and alive. One of the spiritual disciplines being brought through the back door by many denominational headquarters is contemplative prayer. This is a New Age tool which provides the practitioner with a mystical experience, but in actuality it is causing the Christian to become spiritually blind. So blind that they will no longer be able to differentiate the Truth from a lie. This will hinder them from being able to recognize future deception, and they will eventually believe the charade that will be presented in the future.

Most of these practices began to show themselves in the Roman Catholic and Emergent/Emerging Church, but now it is being peddled in several mainline denominations. Uninformed and deceptive Church leaders are trying to make the practice of contemplative/focusing prayer appealing, by trying to prove that early Christians used these techniques. But what they don't tell you is that you open yourself to demons to enter.

It is becoming increasingly obvious that mysticism is one of the most important areas in which the different religions of the world are meeting one another to foster ties of greater unity. Meditation is a major gateway which offers access to the mystical world. He meets “the god within” who is wrongly regarded as the God of the Bible. It is this “god” who is dark, and may leave evil impressions in the subconscious mind of the person. This “god” is the devil who works through the fallen nature of human beings and shows himself to be God. Even if this “god” within you pretends to be Jesus, it is “another Jesus” (2 Cor. 11:4) who manifests himself in a mystical way. He may reveal himself as the Cosmic Jesus of all faiths and offer his blessings to all who are ecumenically minded.[1]

Contemplative prayer isn't the only New Age practice out there. From using words of faith to receive answered prayer, to positive thinking, to visualization, to walking a labyrinth - it is all a big trap. Once you open that door to enter, it's hard to find the exit.

Change Agents in the Church
Why would church leaders permit these practices into our church congregations? They do it because there are change agents among us, and many church leaders are being pressured into the new way of doing God's work. They are preparing the Church for the coming paradigm shift. The shift that will transition the Church from preaching the Gospel, to one that is concerned with social justice issues. Church services will transform from being a time of teaching the Bible, to one that is only concerned with spiritual experiences.

"Change agents in the church intend for everyone, in all situations, to be willing to compromise the Word of God. The transformed Christian has learned that compromise is the way to social harmony. The transformed Christian will turn others on to compromised thinking. This is what the church growth change agents refer to when they say, “we want to train leaders who will reproduce themselves.” They mean “we want to train change agents who will transform others into change agents, repeating the process.”"[2]

These change agents are quiet about their task. They often confess to be Christian, but they are working for the other side. To give you an example of this, this anonymously written New Age poem was recently found on a website that represents themselves as Christian.

A Spiritual Conspiracy
On the surface of the world right now, there is war and violence and things seem dark.
But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening underground.
An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light.
It is a silent revolution.
From the inside out. From the ground up.
This is a Global operation.
A Spiritual Conspiracy.
There are sleeper cells in every nation on the planet.
You won't see us on the T.V.
You won't read about us in the newspaper.
You won't hear about us on the radio.
We don't seek any glory.
We don't wear any uniform.
We come in all shapes and sizes, colours and styles.
Most of us work anonymously.
We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country and culture of the world,
Cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands.
You could pass by one of us on the street and not even notice.
We go undercover.
We remain behind the scenes.
It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit, but simply that the work gets done.
Occasionally, we spot each other in the street,
We give a quiet nod and continue on our way.
During the day, many of us pretend we that have normal jobs, but behind the false store front at night is where the real work takes place.
Some call us the Conscious Army.
We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and hearts.
We follow, with passion and joy, our orders that come from from the Central Spiritual Intelligence.
We are dropping soft, secret, love bombs when no one is looking:
Poems ~ Hugs ~ Music ~ Photography ~ Movies ~ Kind Words ~ Smiles ~ Meditation and Prayer ~ Dance ~ Social Activism ~ Websites ~ Blogs ~ Random Acts of Kindness...
We each express ourselves in our own unique ways, with our own unique gifts and talents.
"Be the change you want to see in the world," that is the motto that fills our hearts.
We know it is the only way real transformation takes place.
We know that quietly and humbly, we have the power of all the oceans combined.
Our work is slow and meticulous, like the formation of mountains.
It is not even visible at first glance.
And yet, with it, entire tectonic plates shall be moved in the centuries to come.
Love is the new religion of the 21st century.
You don't have to be a highly educated person or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it.
It comes from the intelligence of the heart.
Embedded in the timeless, evolutionary pulse of all human beings.
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Nobody else can do it for you.
We are now recruiting.
Perhaps you will join us, or already have.
All are welcome,
The door is open.

~ Author Unknown ~

Who can you trust?
We have arrived at a point that you can no longer trust anyone, and we must question everything we are told by the media. Put plainly -

If the professing Christian has a popular book, national radio program, or is on national TV, they can't be trusted.
If they are on the Council for National Policy, Heritage Foundation, or any Right Wing organization, they are a total fake.
If they teach that the Church is one ecumenical body, and that we all worship the same God, they are a fake.
If they see nothing wrong with having a Church library with varied authors and denominational backgrounds, they are severely deceived.
If they aren't willing to blow the whistle on a fake, they are a fake.
If they are part of an internationally known discernment ministry, you should know that all of these ministries are being controlled. They are fake, and they are working for the other side.
If your pastor or deacons are Masons, they are fakes.

Symbols to be Aware of
Recently I made a discovery about an author I really like. Debi Pearl's books are wonderful and I have been changed by many of the things she has written. However, when I recently visited her website, she has occult/New World Order symbolism in it.

The ministry logo for No Greater Joy uses the sun.

The sun represents the sun god, who is Satan.
Note the illuminated faces.

Recently removed from their site, the
downward pointing star of Baphomet is in the top left corner.

Grace to You, the ministry of John MacArthur, also uses the symbol of the sun god.

And so does Christianity Today International, founded by Billy Graham.

How to Detect a Fraud
There are two other ways to determine if the New Age has infiltrated a ministry.

By visiting the ministry bookstore in their website. For example, do they sell the NIV Bible or have books with occult symbolism on them? Do they endorse websites or sell books by someone from one of those organizations mentioned earlier? If you see connections between people who have been identified as questionable, then stay away.
Who do your favorite teachers go to conferences with? Check to see if any are known CNP members or Freemasons? Where did they go to Bible college. It all figures into the big picture.

The wolf pack is getting pretty crowded. I know that many of you may think that the I sound a little crazy, but while the jury is out, let's wait to see how this plays out. In the meanwhile, we need to put less faith in what nationally known speakers and authors have to say, and focus totally on the Word of God.

Standing Firm
The KJV is the only version that has been unaffected by the apostasy. Be diligent in comparing every teaching with Scripture in order to know whether it is true or false, and whether it is contrary to what has been traditionally taught, or personal revelation. It is the only book left that you can trust. Scripture is clear how we should handle times like this:

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.” 2 Thess.3:6
“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness ... from such withdraw thyself.” 1 Timothy 6:3-5
“... have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Conclusion
The Bible says, “Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set,” but the modern Church has removed them one by one. For the past one hundred years, the Church has been reinventing Christianity to look more like the practices from the occult. The meaning of words and verses have changed, and our modern Bible versions are beginning to convey false meaning. Many prominent Christian leaders have professed to be followers of Jesus Christ, but they are in the Church to assist in smoothly transition into the Aquarian Age of the Church. Many may honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from Him. They only worship the Lord because they are there with an agenda.