Its been about a month or so now that my husband and I have decided, after much prayer and counsel, to cease our business with Amazon.com.
Silly as it may sound, it wasn't an easy decision, as we were loyal customers and bought a lot of our houshold items from the website. We loved the convenience of being Prime members, where shipping was only 2 days and free. I loved that we got such great prices, better than almost anywhere else. Needless to say, we were fans.
However, Amazon recently launched a new commercial for its new product, the Kindle Paperwhite. We do not have cable, so we did not first see it on tv, though one of the men that Sam works with did. Actually, his daughter did. He wasn't too happy.
The commercial is about the release of the new Paperwhite, and in the ad, a woman and man are sitting side by side and he says they should celebrate him just ordering a Paperwhite. She says something like, "Oh, my husband is bringing me a drink right now." Then the man says, "Mine too!", and the camera pans to their to respective husbands.
:(
The little girl of the man that Sam works with saw the commercial on tv one morning while getting ready for school, and at the end she said, "Ew! Daddy that's gross! Where's that man's wife?" He then had to give his 7 year-old daughter a lengthy explanation about why that was on tv and that it does not make it okay.
While I certainly know that not everyone agrees with mine and Sam's old-school thoughts on morality, we strongly hold to the teachings of the Church, and that is that marriage a covenant between a man and a woman, and is not something that can at all be redefined by man. I really don't like that Amazon did not just promote their product, but instead decided to push a completely different agenda.
After we heard about this commercial, Sam called the apostolate at Catholic Answers, and I posted a thread on catholic.com, just to get others' perspective on the ad. Some people answered that they don't care what Amazon is advertising, as long as they get a good price and the products they want. Others said they won't be doing business with them any more. As for the apostolate, Sam talked to Jim Blackburn (for those of you who may know who he is), and he basically said that our contribution to Amazon (especially if we mainly buy from vendors other than Amazon)is so miniscule and remote, that it wouldn't really make a difference... that we are not culpable if we decided to continue to buy from them. He also mentioned, that if we wanted to move our business elsewhere, that we'd thouroughly have to research the inner trappings of each company to be sure they are not similar in their advertising or that they don't give to parties we believe work in opposition to God's will for us.
:sigh: The whole thought has been exhausting, really. And while everyone, everyone has told us that its okay to continue to buy from them, my heart tells me its not. It is not okay to buy from a company that publicly advertises what the Church teaches against.
It may be scrupulous, on my part. It may indeed. But I cannot shake the feeling that God is telling me that this is an easy decision. I feel like I can almost hear Him saying,
"Miranda, my child, do you think this is a business I would support, knowing what they're promoting?"
"No, God, certainly not."
"Then why are you struggling in trying to decide what you'll do? Just follow me, my love."
"Yes, Father. I will follow you."
Sorry for the inner monologue, but this is why we've resolved to at least do away with Amazon. As far as researching every company, we've yet to figure that part out. But I now have no problem severing ties with Amazon, since they are so boldy supporting the re-definition of marriage that we do not.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Paperless Post- My New Favorite Site
So, Sam and I decided to have a party! (Well kind of... as party-party as we can respectfully get during Lent.) It's more of a family/friends gathering for a rosary and lunch in honor of our new pope. I'm so excited to get everyone together to celebrate the new earthly shepherd of our church and pray for his intentions and his new papacy.
In so planning for our gathering, I spent quite a bit of time trying to put together the just-right (free) e-invitation.
Well. Let. Me. Tell. You.
Ifoundthemostsupercoolwebsiteever!! :takes a breath:
Paperless Post
Seriously, I am super impressed and Ilove almost love it! And did I mention? IT'S FREE! (There are some services you can choose to pay for, but you can do so much for free :)
Anyway, I found it to be really neat, because every step of the way, I could edit the card I made to totally personalize it, changing the fonts (btw, they have beautiful font choices), spacing, etc. I was able to import all of my contacts from my email, add personalized messages to individual recipients and even track the status of who's opened the email.
Here's what the front our invitation looks like:
I can't say enough wonderful things about this site.
Check.it.out.
In so planning for our gathering, I spent quite a bit of time trying to put together the just-right (free) e-invitation.
Well. Let. Me. Tell. You.
Ifoundthemostsupercoolwebsiteever!! :takes a breath:
Paperless Post
Seriously, I am super impressed and I
Anyway, I found it to be really neat, because every step of the way, I could edit the card I made to totally personalize it, changing the fonts (btw, they have beautiful font choices), spacing, etc. I was able to import all of my contacts from my email, add personalized messages to individual recipients and even track the status of who's opened the email.
Here's what the front our invitation looks like:
I can't say enough wonderful things about this site.
Check.it.out.
A Catholic New Year!
I know, I know, it's been so long since my last post, but this post is definitly post-worthy...
We have a new Pope!!!
Ahhhh! I'm so, so super excited! I'm watching the white smoke live on EWTN's website, and I can't help but feeling this sense of joy as if it's New Years.
I'm so grateful that God has granted the Church yet another shepard to guide us on earth. Praise be God!
Anyway, I'll update again soon, but just wanted to share the awesome news!!
We have a new Pope!!!
Ahhhh! I'm so, so super excited! I'm watching the white smoke live on EWTN's website, and I can't help but feeling this sense of joy as if it's New Years.
I'm so grateful that God has granted the Church yet another shepard to guide us on earth. Praise be God!
Anyway, I'll update again soon, but just wanted to share the awesome news!!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Speaking the Love
Hello World,
I hope you're doing well from wherever it is that you read my blog.
It's been a wonderful thing to be blessed as much as we. I realize it a little more each day. In God's sweet mercy, in how I feel- somehow, in some small or great way every day- God's intimate love for me. In my remarkably beautiful marriage to the man who I am so thankful to have. In our children, who give me many reasons to smile every day and allow me opportunities to grow in virtue :) In the way my parents LOVE me and my little family.
In the way my heart grows more thankful to my Creator for all He does for me, and in the way He gently guides my heart to desire His will more with each passing day.
Praise be God!!
It is a wonderful thing in itself to be joyful and content in resting in God's unique love for me. I think about it and am overfilled with humility, knowing I am not worthy to be carved into His hands but oh so thankful that I am.
I love you, Lord!
So, I didn't sit down with the intention of starting my post with everything I'm grateful for, but alas, it spilled out of me, because I am constantly mindful of it.
I hope all (hundreds and hundreds ;) of my readers are at peace this very moment, in your thoughts and in your spiritual lives. And in your family lives- that's important too!
In thinking earlier about how my parents LOVE me, my family, and my sisters so abundantly, I lead me to another thought: How do we show that we love the important people in our lives?
Several years ago, some good friends of ours introduced Sam and myself to a book,
The 5 Love Languages. The concept of the book is to realize that each person speaks a different "love language".
The languages are as follows:
1) Quality time
2) Words of affirmation
3) Gifts
4) Acts of service
5) Physical touch
The idea is that a person's love language is that by which they feel loved most. It's important for people to realize that others may have differing love languages, because when we speak to our spouse in our own love language, and not the one that speaks most to them, we may become discouraged at the lack of response or appreciation.
My love a languages, for example, are first, acts of service and second, quality time.
It means so much more to me when Sam cheerfully does the dishes or volunteers to get the kids ready for bed than if he bought me two dozen roses. His, on the other hand, are quality time and physical touch. (I haven't spoken to one girlfriend to hasn't included physical touch in her husband's top two love languages! :)
What's really neat, I think, is that my mom's love language is acts of service also, so she shows her love for her children by cooking great big meals and having all of us over, or happily offering to watch grandkids so we can all have a date night... yay!
Anyhow, I've just been thinking about that lately and really reflecting on whether or not I do my best to speak Sam's love language and that of other family members. It's a constant effort to not necessarily do/say what I would like to have done for me, but to take a moment to think how how that person might best appreciate a kind gesture.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend with their families!
I hope you're doing well from wherever it is that you read my blog.
It's been a wonderful thing to be blessed as much as we. I realize it a little more each day. In God's sweet mercy, in how I feel- somehow, in some small or great way every day- God's intimate love for me. In my remarkably beautiful marriage to the man who I am so thankful to have. In our children, who give me many reasons to smile every day and allow me opportunities to grow in virtue :) In the way my parents LOVE me and my little family.
In the way my heart grows more thankful to my Creator for all He does for me, and in the way He gently guides my heart to desire His will more with each passing day.
Praise be God!!
It is a wonderful thing in itself to be joyful and content in resting in God's unique love for me. I think about it and am overfilled with humility, knowing I am not worthy to be carved into His hands but oh so thankful that I am.
I love you, Lord!
So, I didn't sit down with the intention of starting my post with everything I'm grateful for, but alas, it spilled out of me, because I am constantly mindful of it.
I hope all (hundreds and hundreds ;) of my readers are at peace this very moment, in your thoughts and in your spiritual lives. And in your family lives- that's important too!
In thinking earlier about how my parents LOVE me, my family, and my sisters so abundantly, I lead me to another thought: How do we show that we love the important people in our lives?
Several years ago, some good friends of ours introduced Sam and myself to a book,
The 5 Love Languages. The concept of the book is to realize that each person speaks a different "love language".
The languages are as follows:
1) Quality time
2) Words of affirmation
3) Gifts
4) Acts of service
5) Physical touch
The idea is that a person's love language is that by which they feel loved most. It's important for people to realize that others may have differing love languages, because when we speak to our spouse in our own love language, and not the one that speaks most to them, we may become discouraged at the lack of response or appreciation.
My love a languages, for example, are first, acts of service and second, quality time.
It means so much more to me when Sam cheerfully does the dishes or volunteers to get the kids ready for bed than if he bought me two dozen roses. His, on the other hand, are quality time and physical touch. (I haven't spoken to one girlfriend to hasn't included physical touch in her husband's top two love languages! :)
What's really neat, I think, is that my mom's love language is acts of service also, so she shows her love for her children by cooking great big meals and having all of us over, or happily offering to watch grandkids so we can all have a date night... yay!
Anyhow, I've just been thinking about that lately and really reflecting on whether or not I do my best to speak Sam's love language and that of other family members. It's a constant effort to not necessarily do/say what I would like to have done for me, but to take a moment to think how how that person might best appreciate a kind gesture.
Hope everyone has a lovely weekend with their families!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
No good excuse
I have no good excuse really, so I won't attempt to make one. I love to get my thoughts out in a good blog post, but the thought of sitting down and trying to organize my them into cohesive and comprehensible (and let's face it, interesting) sentences it exhausting.
I follow several mom bloggers who I wonder: how in the world do they have time to write so often? And not only that, but they're simply amazing writers. I realize that I will never really be the kind to update my blog every two days, and neither really do I want to, but you, ladies, are my inspiration!!
So recent update...
I'll pick up where I last left off.
I took my CCRN certification for critical care nurses. And FAILED.
Super bummer. I took it at the beginning of September (or maybe August, I honestly don't remember), and I needed to answer 89 questions correctly to pass the exam. I failed the test by 2 questions. 2 stinkin' questions!! It makes it a little more of a bitter than a bitter sweet to be so close and not pass.
Sam really wants me to re-take it in the near future so that I don't give up on myself. True, true. He has a very valid point, and I am grateful to have a husband who is so supportive... However. I feel deflated. Confidence-wise anyway. I'm still studying, but less for the CCRN re-take than for cath lab.
Which brings me to my next update... I'm transferring to the cardiac cath lab!!
Woo! I'm really excited :D
I am so interested in everything cardiac, and I know this will be the best place to grow my knowledge. Plus, I've been in the same critical care unit for 4 years. It's just time to move on to a different type of nursing. I need to continue to grow professionally.
I'm still not sure how I feel about this yet, but one big change is that instead of working 3 12 hour shifts a week, I'll now be working M-F with variable hours. Some days start at 7am and end early afternoon. Other days start at noon and end around 7pm. I think that is what I'm still most nervous about. I'll not have the set schedule of 7a-7p shifts. And maybe that's a good thing. All I've ever known are 12 hour shifts, but who knows? Maybe I'll like it.
I recently bought these cute little hats from ScrubHeads on Etsy to add to my excitement for transferring to cath lab. They're cute :)
I still want to get all the same certifications I've aspired for, but for now, I think I'll get into the cath lab groove and take a step at a time. I will always be reading at least 1 book, and I'll always have the desire to learn, but I think I'll build up my confidence again before re-taking the exam (and paying $170 on top of my first test fee).
Anyway, that's the update for now.
I'd really like to post new pics of my darlings, but first have to charge my camera battery. And I guess I have to find the charger first :) Ha. Ha. Goodnight.
I follow several mom bloggers who I wonder: how in the world do they have time to write so often? And not only that, but they're simply amazing writers. I realize that I will never really be the kind to update my blog every two days, and neither really do I want to, but you, ladies, are my inspiration!!
So recent update...
I'll pick up where I last left off.
I took my CCRN certification for critical care nurses. And FAILED.
Super bummer. I took it at the beginning of September (or maybe August, I honestly don't remember), and I needed to answer 89 questions correctly to pass the exam. I failed the test by 2 questions. 2 stinkin' questions!! It makes it a little more of a bitter than a bitter sweet to be so close and not pass.
Sam really wants me to re-take it in the near future so that I don't give up on myself. True, true. He has a very valid point, and I am grateful to have a husband who is so supportive... However. I feel deflated. Confidence-wise anyway. I'm still studying, but less for the CCRN re-take than for cath lab.
Which brings me to my next update... I'm transferring to the cardiac cath lab!!
Woo! I'm really excited :D
I am so interested in everything cardiac, and I know this will be the best place to grow my knowledge. Plus, I've been in the same critical care unit for 4 years. It's just time to move on to a different type of nursing. I need to continue to grow professionally.
I'm still not sure how I feel about this yet, but one big change is that instead of working 3 12 hour shifts a week, I'll now be working M-F with variable hours. Some days start at 7am and end early afternoon. Other days start at noon and end around 7pm. I think that is what I'm still most nervous about. I'll not have the set schedule of 7a-7p shifts. And maybe that's a good thing. All I've ever known are 12 hour shifts, but who knows? Maybe I'll like it.
I recently bought these cute little hats from ScrubHeads on Etsy to add to my excitement for transferring to cath lab. They're cute :)
I still want to get all the same certifications I've aspired for, but for now, I think I'll get into the cath lab groove and take a step at a time. I will always be reading at least 1 book, and I'll always have the desire to learn, but I think I'll build up my confidence again before re-taking the exam (and paying $170 on top of my first test fee).
Anyway, that's the update for now.
I'd really like to post new pics of my darlings, but first have to charge my camera battery. And I guess I have to find the charger first :) Ha. Ha. Goodnight.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Workout ideas and birth control
So as I'm still relatively new again to the world of "active" people, I'm wondering if anyone has any good workouts to share? Especially in light of my recent chest pain episodes, I want to stay on the light side, but am totally up for a simple aerobic/cardiac routine along with good weight-lifting exercises.
What I really want to strengthen right now is my abs, so if you know of anything besides basic crunches, please share! I'm open to all suggestions! Maybe even a cool circuit traning routine :)
On another note, I know this is a random thing to follow the first part of this post with, but it's on my mind, so I'll share.
I am so, so thankful to have, as Melody, over at Blossoming Joy, puts it, a "faithful, faith-filled" husband. I'm so glad we share the same faith, and that we do so in our everyday lives. As practicing Catholics, we do not believe in artificial birth control. As a nurse, I do not believe in the benefits of birth control.
See below.
Did you know that the typical birth control pill is an estrogen-progestin combination, and that it is listed as a Group I carcinogen according World Health Organization? How is it that women aren't told this when they're prescribed birth control??
In case you're unfamiliar with what a Group I carcinogen is, here's some clarification. The WHO, in July 2005, changed the grouping of menopausal estrogen therapy and confirmed oral contraceptives (estrogen-progestogen), as "possibly carcinogenic to humans", Group II, to Group I "sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans." Guess what else is in Group I... asbestos,Hep C, HIV, Agent Orange,formaldehyde.
Just to be clear, the WHO put out a report in 1999 stating that estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives were Group 1. The meeting in 2005 confirmed it.
There are numerous other health effects of the Pill, but rather than making this post a scientific article, I'll re-post this video from Blossoming Joy :)
Kind of a long video, but well worth the time!
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am not judging. I've learned a great deal about Church teaching and the health effects of the Pill after much time spent in research. This is my personal conviction, which I believe to be part of God's divine plan for human life. If you do not believe the same as I, I will not judge. It is not my place. I follow the truth I seek, and am more than willing to share my faith. Please be respectful in commenting, as I will in return.
What I really want to strengthen right now is my abs, so if you know of anything besides basic crunches, please share! I'm open to all suggestions! Maybe even a cool circuit traning routine :)
On another note, I know this is a random thing to follow the first part of this post with, but it's on my mind, so I'll share.
I am so, so thankful to have, as Melody, over at Blossoming Joy, puts it, a "faithful, faith-filled" husband. I'm so glad we share the same faith, and that we do so in our everyday lives. As practicing Catholics, we do not believe in artificial birth control. As a nurse, I do not believe in the benefits of birth control.
See below.
Did you know that the typical birth control pill is an estrogen-progestin combination, and that it is listed as a Group I carcinogen according World Health Organization? How is it that women aren't told this when they're prescribed birth control??
In case you're unfamiliar with what a Group I carcinogen is, here's some clarification. The WHO, in July 2005, changed the grouping of menopausal estrogen therapy and confirmed oral contraceptives (estrogen-progestogen), as "possibly carcinogenic to humans", Group II, to Group I "sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans." Guess what else is in Group I... asbestos,Hep C, HIV, Agent Orange,formaldehyde.
Just to be clear, the WHO put out a report in 1999 stating that estrogen-progestogen oral contraceptives were Group 1. The meeting in 2005 confirmed it.
There are numerous other health effects of the Pill, but rather than making this post a scientific article, I'll re-post this video from Blossoming Joy :)
Kind of a long video, but well worth the time!
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am not judging. I've learned a great deal about Church teaching and the health effects of the Pill after much time spent in research. This is my personal conviction, which I believe to be part of God's divine plan for human life. If you do not believe the same as I, I will not judge. It is not my place. I follow the truth I seek, and am more than willing to share my faith. Please be respectful in commenting, as I will in return.
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