Patriot Undeserving

You’ve heard of stay-at-home moms, right?  Did you know there’s such a thing as stay-at-home daughters?  Like, real live people who are over 18 years old and live at home.  Apparently this species  is so rare, that it can hardly be determined what they do all day, at home!  After some study, however, society has come to the conclusion that behind closed doors are young women who eat bonbons, dream of marriage, and have oodles of time on their hands.

Well, okay, so maybe only a small portion of society has come to such a drastic conclusion.  The remaining 80%, however, are left in a state of confusion and don’t know what to do with young women who choose not to pursue the cultural norm, which apparently is now also the standard of maturity.  I’d like to explore some of the common misconceptions made about these pioneers of modern day civilization… at least, common in light of my own experiences as a stay at home daughter.

They have oodles of time on their hands!

I am so thankful for the time that I have at home, without a 4 year commitment to getting a degree.  While I don’t see “college” as inherently evil (nor would I be opposed to taking courses if I ever had an interest), by choosing to study at home on my own schedule, I am freed up to take part in ministries and projects that otherwise would have been impossible to squeeze in.

A stay-at-home daughter is in a special position that is rare in our society.  On a local level I’ve seen a need for involvement that sometimes only an adult who is not working full time, or going to school can fill.  Moms and Dads are busy raising their kids and working a job.  The average young adult over 18 years old is away studying.  Thus, the time of the capable daughter who does not have a college or full time job commitment can be a treasure.

While this can be a great asset to a community, the wise young woman at home striving to emulate Proverbs 31 does much to fill up her time with.  She has commitments.  She has goals.  She has dreams.  I enjoy traveling out of State to volunteer on political campaigns, but it doesn’t mean that I’m twiddling my thumbs once I get home.  Simply because someone does not attend school, and have a 4 year time-line laid out, should not imply that a curriculum or goal is not in place.  It is a very valuable thing, and when people value my time, I feel respected as well.

They don’t have their own identity

I once spoke with a young lady of 24 who, in so many words, implied that I (4 years her junior) was sheltered, isolated, and needed to find myself.  The only way to “find” myself as I discovered later, was to move away from my family and experience campus life.  I believe this exposes how narrow of an opinion much of society has towards young people who live at home.  Once the independent and feministic trends set in, college became the standard and people began to struggle to view those who choose not to move away at 18 as anything but children still trying to “find themselves”.

To the child of God, finding oneself does not require moving away from all authority and accountability, to see how popular or intelligent one turns out to be. And while I would agree that every adult is changed and matured by various situations or opportunities, I don’t see why such growing experiences can not be gained in some other way.  Forgive me, but isn’t that rather narrow and isolated thinking?

The idea that a daughter would find her identity as a part of a family unit is pretty foreign as well.  Living with a family and accepting their roles as key in my life does not make me a drone.  It strengthens me through accountability, it stretches me in the honest and open relationships, it protects me from identities I don’t want to conform to, and it allows me to be… me!  My identity is in Christ, and I can learn to be courageous, opinionated, intelligent, and completely unique while living at home.

They must not have any real goals in life

I am so looking forward to having the privilege of being a wife and a mommy someday.  Despite the fact that this goal doesn’t look very big, all the college degrees together could not prepare a woman for this special job.  The raising and schooling of future doctors, presidents, lawyers, entrepreneurs, pastors and missionaries should not be taken so lightly as to write off the goal of motherhood.  Anyone who writes off this dream as commonplace or sentimental needs to rearrange their priorities.

The problem any ambitious stay at home daughter might run into would be, if anything, too many goals!  The opportunities are endless, when on one’s own schedule and time-line.  I find this exciting.  Through books, tutors, and online resources one can pursue culinary arts, music, dancing, seamstressing, home décor, and not to mention more academic avenues of study such as history, science, literature and the arts.  From political science to landscaping, the opportunities a young adult can have when coupled with enthusiasm and diligence are many.

A higher calling

Whether through a flippant disregard for my time or a misunderstanding of my goals, it seems I will always be misunderstood by society as a young lady who is different.  Somehow, our secular culture with it’s cry for open-minded ideas and wide thinking has completely closed off the opportunity for a young lady to thrive in a home setting.  After all, the majority of women end up back at home raising a family, even after gaining a 4 year degree and spending thousands of dollars trying to figure out who they are.

I am happy to declare that I have reached 20 years of age and have not spent a dime in order to attain my true identity.  I have not wasted my time in eternity and feel so blessed to not be shackled to the expectations of others.  I am free to flourish and bloom in a natural environment, all while pursuing things that challenge my way of thinking and push me towards a higher calling.  Our culture calls for individuality.  Well, I’m happy to announce that I’ve found mine.

This is a collection of video and still footage from our campaign trip to North West Arkansas, to support Col. Conrad Reynolds for U.S. Senate.  Enjoy!

Conrad Reynolds for U.S. Senate – A Grassroots Adventure from Caleb Duff on Vimeo.

Check out the Patriot Post online

I love to dance. I’ve been teaching classical ballet for over 4 years, and since I have been forced to discontinue taking ballet on a higher level myself, it’s no surprise that I enjoy all kinds of motion put to music! So when my sister and I were treated to a night of English Country Dancing at a Reformation Faire, we immediately fell in love with the style, grace and beauty of it.

Since we are such gracious and considerate individuals, we knew we just had to share this kind of family-friendly social interaction with our local community. Thus, since December we have been teaching monthly English Country Dancing to anyone with a hankering to relive the Jane Austen days.

We have learned a lot through our teaching (let me tell you, instructing little girls in ballet is vastly different than trying to direct 50 grown men and women in pair dancing). We have learned that any height difference between 2-4 feet makes dancing with one’s partner pretty awkward, that calling out can be just as physically taxing as actually dancing, and that men are vastly different from women!

Allow me to expand on that latter notion. Men and women tend to have dramatically different outlooks on life. A man will shop only if his life depends on it (in my Dad’s case, it would be Menards to pick up some roasted peanuts) and a woman will shop sometimes simply for the joy of checking out new styles and trends… even when she doesn’t need anything! The fairer sex will sigh, sob and giggle at all the appropriate moments in “Pride and Prejudice” while “I Am Legend” might have been the choice of the 15 year-old male. When it comes to dancing, the outlook tends to be the same. While it may not be a general rule that men abhor dancing, the sport is also not known to be an immediate favorite of theirs.

And this, my dear audience, is where the gentlemen enter. Whether some noble knights fear rejection, or mistakes, or simply the close proximity of a 2 foot distance from a female, it appears that men take a radically different approach to dancing than women. However, when the hesitancy is pushed aside, the boldness acquired, and the hand offered, a knight is born and a lady is rescued.

I have 5 brothers and I still do not profess to know males. But I am thankful for the differences the Lord gave us; that men can be tough and masculine, and women can be gentle and feminine. Dancing may not be a life or death issue, but biblical manhood and womanhood is. We risk the death of nations when men forsake their duties and women abandon their homes, and even worse when we throw off the word of God calling us to live our lives according to His purpose.

When women dress beautifully and step gracefully, it’s a lovely thing indeed. When men take the initiative and ask a lady to dance, it’s a very chivalrous act to behold! And when men and women shake off the shackles of the culture to pursue their roles with purity and honor, well… that is when the music really starts!

I am angry. My heart pounds, my fists shake, and I sputter and cough out objections and exclamations. Why am I here, and not there? I ought to be running through the streets of Washington with my panting horse, crying “Congress is coming! Congress is coming!” for our foe is on their way, and will one day be parading into our homes. How can I help but be excited? Apathy only stirs me up, and were that this battle one beyond words and documents, and I a ready soldier, I would gladly take up arms to defend liberty.

My youthful frustration tells me there is nothing I can do and that it’s out of my hands. My head tells me to go make some phone calls; write some letters. My heart tells me to rely on a sovereign God, and trust Him for the outcome. Which call is hardest to live out?

“What a historic time for our nation…” “What an honor for you, Mr. Speaker, in such a time…” “Today we will make history…” The Democrats are speaking on the floor. History? As the nation that once was founded on God-given rights and freedoms, and then abused and usurped those same freedoms in one big, record-breaking sweep?

I am an American girl of the past. My patriotic pride is based on those men who fought in the name of the Lord to protect the innocent, guard their families, and preserve the way of liberty for their future generations. When I place my hand over my heart, I gaze at the stripes on the flag; remembering not the personal and pure sacrifice of so many politicians today, but of the blood shed by men not so long ago during the forming of our nation. Will I and my family have the courage to show such sacrifice and dedication when the time comes?

This post may mean nothing to you. Maybe you found my blog through a random Google search, or happened to click a link from another blog. Maybe you don’t care about the life and ramblings of a simple girl in Nebraska. But I ask you this: how much do you care about your freedom? Are you willing to pay fines, heavy taxes and penalties, and even spend time in jail if you refuse to purchase something you don’t want? And even more importantly, how ardently will you oppose Satan’s forces in our society, and proclaim the cross of Christ?

Sometimes my anger over injustice, and my eagerness to be a part of the action gets the best of me… and causes me to despair over my lack of control and influence. Tonight would be the opportune moment to let loose, as our Representatives vote on H.R. 3962, “Health Care for All of America”. Yes, we’ve written letters, we’ve called our Congressman, we’ve met with staff members and shared our concern over this very hot bill. Tonight we will pray. And then we will sleep, trusting our passions, concerns, anger, frustrations, and fears to Someone completely in control, and unconcerned.

Will you sleep tonight?

Election season falls over the worst holiday I know. Not only does snow and cold rain frequent the northern states during November, but dealing with Halloween décor is not my cup of tea at this time of year. In 2007 I took a trip to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to do some grassroots campaigning. While very few residents welcome political literature dropped at their door, you would think that the majority of America was bent on scaring off any sane person!

I found myself climbing through cobwebs, running underneath giant spiders, hiding my eyes from corpses sitting on porches, and trying not to have a heart attack from the pre-recorded screams. The point, apparently, is not to create a welcoming, warm, and relaxing atmosphere for guests. Unless you are a young teenage boy, you will most likely find such “decorations” annoying, disgusting, and hopefully disturbing as well.

Unfortunately, our society not only has allowed such dark and un-welcoming expressions on our homes, but on our faces as well. I’m not only talking about the uninterested teen, mumbling responses, but also believers who fail to welcome a stranger with a smile, “hello”, or even a direct look in their direction. We often criticize a humanistic culture for things we tend to carry with ourselves in another form, and much of the time unknowingly.

I am often guilty of making wrong judgments of people based on first impressions, as I perceive through their facial and body expressions that they are quiet, reserved, and could not carry on a fun conversation with anyone… least of all me! However, once we manage to bridge the gap, I tend to find a more open personality than I would have expected. But why does there need to be a gap in the first place?

Therefore I have decided that expression, regardless of personality or character, is an art indeed. Some people are naturally very exaggerated and enthusiastic, and others are more reserved and introverted. But how far can we, as followers of Christ in a body of believers, take the excuse… “that’s just not me”? There have been many times I know I have not met other young people, simply because I failed to receive eye contact, a smile, a nod… and also because I failed to give it myself. Are we willing to risk the loss of a friendship, acquaintance, or ministry opportunity to save our own comfort through blandness of expression?

We have less than a second to make a first impression. While we cannot paste a smile on our faces perpetually, we can make a habit of drawing others into our lives as we seek to have cheerful countenances, eye contact, and welcoming gestures. We need to learn to show the opposite of a demonic cultural holiday, celebrating death, darkness and destruction. We ought to instead be emulating the Word through our faces; drawing others to it’s joy, light, and hope.

Forget the black cats, mocking jack-o-lanterns, and screaming witches. Give me Christ, and may we walk in and share His welcoming light!

I have enjoyed many novels for their plots, writing styles and diverse characters (Jane Austen, Bodie and Brock Theone, and C.S. Lewis can be tagged as some of my favorites). But every so often, I pick up a book that leaves a very strong lasting impression on my heart and mind.

Recently I picked up Randy Alcorn’s first book in his trilogy, “Deadline” and was amazed with not only the theological clarity and insight in Alcorn’s book, but also the excellent plot and can’t-put-it-down drama. Below is an excerpt from the second book, “Dominion”, which I am enjoying just as much:

“She realized in an instant that her entire life on earth had been but a series of labor pains preparing her for this moment. As she was once born into a world of cold confusion and blaring artificial lights, she was now being born out of that cramped domain into a wide open realm of warmth and natural light, the place for which she was suited, the world for which she had been made.

“At last,” she shouted. “The real world!”

At the doorway into life stood a shining being of natural radiance, but with the brightness of a million klieg lights. The radiance threatened to blind her, but somehow her new eyes could endure it. This was more than a man, yet clearly a man. She knew at once who it was. He who had been from eternity past, he who had left his home in heaven to make one her for her. He who spun the galaxies into being with a single snap of his fingers, who was the light that illuminated darkness with a million colors, who turned midnight into sunrise.

It was he. Not his representative, but he himself. He put his hands upon her shoulders and she thrilled at his touch.

“Welcome, my little one!” He smiled broadly, the smile teeming with approval. “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Enter into the kingdom prepared for you. Enter into the joy of the Lord.”

His was the embrace she was made for. He was the Bridegroom, the object of all longing, the fulfillment of all dreams.

Have you ever thought about heaven? I mean, more than just puzzling over how long eternity is (and what can we possibly do for an eternity?). Have you ever really considered what it will look like, what we will do, who we will meet?

Randy Alcorn has challenged my limited and rather dull imaginations of what heaven will be like through his novels. When we consider eternity with Christ, we tend to separate it from anything we experience here on earth, when in reality earth is but the most vague, dull, and sin-riddled peek into our experiences after death. Not only will we eat, sing, dance, explore, laugh and hug, but we will take our knowledge of life and the Word gained on earth, and continue to add to it in heaven. The ability to gain wisdom and insight will not be wiped away, but even while perfected in Christ, we will continue to learn and be taught new truths.

Instead of being comfortable and apathetic in our security of salvation, we should be passionate about filling our minds and hearts with the eternal wisdom of the Lord. We should be excited to meet new people, memorize scripture, extend a helping hand, and delve into prayer daily; all the things that we know rest on His promise, and matter for eternity.

And really, what is life but the training grounds for eternity with Christ? Life on earth is merely the springboard into eternal worship at the feet of Christ. How high will you jump?

My family supports several ministries, but one we especially appreciate is “Compassion International”, a ministry which supports impoverished children overseas. The program will provide schooling, clothes and food, and medical treatment through the monthly contributions of the “adoptive” family. The sponsored child also writes updates on what he/she is doing as often as the delayed overseas mailing service allows. Our precious sponsored child is Lidiya, a thirteen year-old girl living in India. We attempt to communicate and share what’s going on in our lives as time goes by, but the delay in the mailing service is about two months making communication more difficult. However, we recently received an update from Lidiya, which was so cute I had to share it with you (she now writes English well enough that she doesn’t need a translator);

Most loving Gary Duff uncle and Sheri aunt. Loving greetings in the name of Jesus. I received your loving letter, photographs, and Jonny’s short notes. Jenni and Emily are looking very beautiful in that photographs (smiley face). Their dress also looking nice. Whose hair is long, Jenni’s or Emily’s (picture of girl with long hair)? How old is Caleb? Where is Josh? I wish to know more about Josh. Happy “B” day to Emily and Jeremy. Nobody should not say Emily is 21 years old. Happy wedding anniversary to uncle and aunt. My family and me are doing well. But my father is taking medicine now also. My mother is working a nursery school near our house. I have promoted to 8th grade. I have more subject to learn. My height is increasing day by day. So, all dress are short to me. I participated in sports meet that was held on 26th January at K—. I got 1st prize in Badminton. We celebrate my mother, brother and myself “B” day together. Our project manager call the children who are celebrating “B” day and pray to them each day. Then he gave sweets, other children wishing “B” day greetings. I have got color dress from compassion. I wore it on my birthday. We presented a school magazine in our school. I was the chief editor. Let me conclude here with lots of love and prayers- Lidiya (lots of flower drawings)