The Broughton Home

Another horrific ad from environmentalists. Life is no longer more important than the environment... When will people stop putting our children on the rope, or at the end of the button?! Enough is enough.

In the UK, environmentalists have put out a few commercials. They're meant to "encourage" people to reduce their footprint by 10% this year, and 10% next year... the 10:10 campaign. Now, I'm all for people doing what they can and want to lessen lofty electricity bills, or to improve their own environment. I don't really think about it as much and that's my prerogative. Does that mean someone has the right to blow me up? I know, it sounds like a really dumb question... but that's what the activists think. I've always asked, where is the line? The line that separates the importance of human life, and the importance of nature. When would nature be more important to preserve over human life? Did God not create nature for human enjoyment? Did God not create humans in his own image? Why then, would his precious creation start to kill off each other in order to save the earth? Do they know what God has in store for this planet? I think if they did...

I had the most wonderful little time with Kera tonight. Time that was over due, and very much needed. Kera is moving into the other room now. She's in a big girl bed, and no bink. She didn't want to sleep without a bink, and was being cranky. In exasperation I laid down on her bed... mostly waiting for her to comply with direction. Instead, she laid on me with her head on my chest. I couldn't help but hug her and start to bounce my leg for a rocking motion. She said "I like this." I agreed with her. "This is nice." I think so too. "I like you." I like you too, Kera. "I really like you." I love you, Kera. We rocked and rocked like that for I don't know how long. I wasn't thinking about the dryer running in the background. Or the dishes that weren't in the washer yet. I wasn't thinking about the frustrating debates on Facebook... stupid debates. I was thinking about the last time we really had time like...

We recently lost a friend in a tragic turn of events. Now, you know that phrase, "You never know what you have until it's gone." Well, I believe some know, and some find out after. I have to say, I had no idea about the grand presence I was in until after ALL the testimony at the funeral. I always knew he was wonderful... but the extent was lost on me till now. Not only was our friend a great man of God, but a devoted father and adoring husband. He's the kind of man who walked the walk even better than he talked the talk.... which is saying a lot. Many more were added to the kingdom of God because of this man. There are two men who carry his legacy and will probably raise up men like him. There's a woman out there who knows how to be a Godly woman, and who knows how to love her husband because of the example her father was. The wife... well, she deserves her own paragraph! Our friend's wife.. who is also a friend... is amazing. While mourning the los...

Have you ever had a friend, or a family member who had a spouse that you liked at first, but started to resent? For any real number of reasons, but tried not to say anything about it so as not to seem rude, prying, pushy, or divisive? This has happened to myself more than I'd like to admit. With friends AND family. Things start out fine, but then things don't go quite right.. and then your loved one is in some sort of abusive or neglectful relationship/marriage. My heart breaks. I hate feeling like I shouldn't butt in, but if I don't things won't get better.. even if they don't get worse. I don't want to be "that friend" to the spouse, I fear that would actually make the spouse try to alienate me... which would be harmful to my relationships. Really, my main goal, is to encourage my friend/family member to be happy. I want them to be as happy as I am. We're poor, and probably going to be more so next year, but we love eachother and have...

The Broughton home has a mystery gifter. That's right, and anonymous friend who leaves gifts on our door step and leaves. We don't know who, and we're not quite sure why... other than they love us. :) The first strike was bewildering. Saturday night/Sunday morning at around 12:30am I was almost asleep after a late night of a company dinner, a movie with the hubby and no kids in the house. All of a sudden I found myself jumping out of my bed in a semi panic cause the doorbell had rung several rings. Thinking it might be my dad with an unhappy child I ran to the door, only to find no person, and a gift bag. I picked it up and returned inside... still holding the bag. I opened it to find a lovely candle hurricane lamp and a pillar candle to match. The second strike was right after dinner the next night. I just walked to the door after one ring and there lay a wrapped gift with a tag. To the Broughan Girls, From Santa. Two books had arrived for my girls, and we read ...

My sister and I have had a couple disagreements on whether Christmas or Easter is a more important Holiday in the Christian faith. Well, I claim Christmas, and she's for Easter. I've been thinking about it a lot lately, being the Christmas Season and all. I've come to a couple conclusions in my own mind, and I hope they come out in some kind of intelligible order. There's a song, Welcome to Our World by Chris Rice. If you haven't heard it, you need to. When it comes to Christmas, I'm all for the "magic" of lights and carols and sparkly things... I am, after all, easily entertained. More than those though, I love the imagery of God becoming man. Jesus' sacrifice is definitely important, and the fact that He wanted to save us from eternal damnation is priceless and so profound.... but, the LOVE He showed, by not just saving us... but becoming us. That's the hugest thing for me. The fact that He cares so MUCH for us that He was willing to...