Have you been "pinkwashed"?

It's October, and as always, pink ribbons are everywhere.  My mother died of metastatic breast cancer (the only kind of breast cancer that kills). Throughout her battle with cancer, she participated in the "relay for life", donated to the American Cancer Society, and even wore a pink ribbon pin, all because she thought it was helping to "find a cure". I used to donate to a couple of  "breast cancer research" organizations myself, because it just seemed like the right thing to do.  Today however, I don't even own a single pink ribbon. Want to know why? It's been said, "Once you know better, you do better". 

Have you ever honestly looked into where the money for the pink ribbon merchandise goes?? 

Did you know that some of the most well known organizations that raise money for "breast cancer research" turn around and donate large amounts of money to Planned Parenthood?  Do you know WHY they donate to them?  Let me just tell you it's not to pay for mammograms or for prevention like they might say. Do the research.  The information is there, you just have to look. But remember, "Those who seek the truth run the risk of finding it." 

Another issue with "pinktober", is the fact that so many of the companies and organizations making money from the pink ribbons on their merchandise, are literally selling cancer-causing POISON.  Look around and you will see pink ribbons on everything from junk food to cleaning products. For more information about that, click HERE. 

I'm writing this to make people aware of the other side of the pink ribbon movement. If an organization really wanted to "cure" breast cancer, they would be putting their money toward learning and teaching women about PREVENTION! Early detection is good, but what if we learned how to prevent cancer from forming in the first place? What if we learned how to live a healthy lifestyle with the things God gave us, and how to avoid toxic chemicals (that are known carcinogens!) in so many of the products we buy? I don't know about you, but I'd rather give my money to that! 

Can we prevent all types of cancer?  Of course not. Unfortunately, it's part of living in a fallen world. But, we will never cure breast cancer by wearing pink socks or buying cute pink ribbons. We wont cure any cancer that way.   

Socially distanced

Parents, we need to talk. 

We need to talk about what we are teaching our kids about the current Covid reality. 

I can agree that we need to take common sense precautions during this time. I understand that some people have compromised immune systems and might not fare as well as others if they were to contract this current strain of coronavirus.  My own family just completed the recommended “protocol”, and just ended a very challenging quarantine, separated between two different homes. We canceled our church for two weeks (which is kind of a big deal given that my husband is the pastor), missed the last week of my daughter’s drivers ed classes, the list goes on. I know that Covid has taken even more from other families. So, I will just say that it hasn’t been easy. Nevertheless, we did what we needed to do as responsible members of society. 

Still, we need to talk about how this is affecting our children and teenagers. 

Until last March, most people took a certain amount of risk with their health (without even thinking much if at all about those risks) every time they went to a park, went shopping, sent kids to school, attended church services, etc. They took risks. We all did. We all still do to some degree. 

However, things seem to have changed drastically when it comes to risk taking, especially when it comes to how people treat others who may have calculated their risk levels differently. There seems to have been a point in time that being cautious became harmful in other ways. I’ve watched adults and children react in very unkind ways toward others, simply because they were “exposed”, at no fault of their own. 

In all sincerity, I ask of you, please don’t teach your children to be fearful - so fearful that they reject other kids as if they are lepers. Kids shouldn’t be yelling at other kids or threatening to “report them” for simply getting “too close” to another person. 

What are we doing to our children? Even if contracting Covid was no longer a risk, there are numerous other viruses/diseases kids could bring home, just by simply playing and being kids! Are we going to teach them that interacting with others is just “too risky” these days? Have you heard of the kids who have taken their own life because they can’t cope with the amount of isolation and rejection this has put them through?

We must do better! Even rules have exceptions. At some point, for the mental health of our children, we have to decide when risks are worth taking. Being physically isolated because you are truly contagious is one thing, being socially isolated simply because others are afraid of what you might be carrying is another. 

Instead of teaching kids to live in fear for their life or the life of a loved one, teach them how and when it is appropriate to be cautious, while at the same time, teaching them to be kind! Teach them about the risks we take every day, how to weigh them, calculate them, and make good decisions based on that information. We should be a support to our friends and family during this time. Kids should be able to play with friends who aren’t ill. Instead, I see kids being rejected, argued down, judged, and isolated for reasons they simply have no control over. 

This has been a hard year for everyone. Some have had it harder than others. Please don’t allow the current challenges of a virus to turn you or your family against others. 

We NEED each other. 

There must be a better way.....

If we claim to really care about people, and that is the reason we give for taking precautions; then we should also show we care about others by treating them well. At the end of the day, we are all still human, and humans need to feel included, accepted, and loved.

An Insider's View: 18 years of marriage

I have learned many things as a wife over the last 18 years of marriage.  I thought I'd share just a small list of some of those things.  I do not believe a marriage exists that is 100% perfect, but as the years pass, if both people are willing to honor their commitment to one another and learn to really love, despite each other's flaws and failures, I believe any marriage can be a great one!  My hope in posting this is that something I write here will be helpful to you as you grow and mature with your spouse.  These things are from my perspective as a wife. They are in no particular order.  I just wrote them down as they came to me as I reflected on my marriage over the past few weeks. 

💗Make your home a “storm shelter”. Your home should be a place your husband wants to be, not a place he wants to escape from. Work to cultivate an atmosphere of peace, love, and rest.

💗Don’t expect your husband to meet ALL of your needs! Only God can do that.

💗Make one-on-one time with each other a priority. Even if it’s just sitting on the couch together for 15 minutes a day and having a conversation without distractions.

💗Remember - you are his wife, not his mother.

💗Be quick to apologize and quick to forgive.

💗Remind each other that you are on the same team - working together, not against each other.

💗Learn when to just be quiet.

💗Protect each other’s privacy! Other people don’t need to know everything about your spouse, your relationship, or your family.

💗Don’t keep secrets or withhold information from each other. Trust is earned and maintained through honesty and openness.

💗Pray together. Believe it or not, this is a huge intimacy builder.

💗Work on giving more compliments and being less critical.

💗Besides your relationship with God, your marriage should be your #1 priority. All other relationships (including the relationship you have with your kids) flow from this one.

💗Go to bed the same time your spouse does, as much as possible.

💗Show each other affection and let your kids see it!

💗Don’t bring up each other’s past mistakes.

💗Learn to manage your money well together. Don’t let money become a source of strife.

💗Commit to having consistent family devotions.

💗Hold hands every chance you get.

💗Say “I love you” before ending every phone call.

💗Remember your wedding vows! “...for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part”, and work through every issue with those vows in mind. Don't let the "D-word" even be an option in your thoughts or your vocabulary. Remind each other you are in it for the long haul - come what may!

💗Have FUN together! Lighten up. Learn to laugh more! Don't take everything so seriously.

💗Be each other's best friend. Everyone else could come and go, but your marriage will still be there. Cultivate that relationship above all others. 

💗Memorize 1 Corinthians 13.

💗Every marriage goes through rough and challenging times, and times where it feels like everything is going so smoothly it's almost perfect.  No matter what season you are in, it's hands-down the BEST adventure to be on! Enjoy the ride and hold on tight to each other!

2002

2021