CWAHM.com "Marriage on Mission" Articles

Monthly, I write a marriage column on CWAHM.com called Marriage on Mission.  Are you looking to grow in your relationship with your husband? Are you still searching for "oneness" in marriage?

Take a look at these articles to help jump-start communication with your spouse:

Spring-Cleaning Your Marriage

When You Mess Up Big

A Month of Romance 

Love & Respect 

Peace

Obamacare Is In Effect: The Truth About The Abortion Subsidy

I've written a much longer post about this issue called Killing the Children: Obamacare Is In Effect but on this post, I just wanted people to be able to get straight to the facts about the Obamacare Abortion Subsidy:

Obamacare in Effect: The Deceptive Abortion Subsidy

 "The employee will discover that their plan contains an abortion premium either by seeking it out in the fine print once they have enrolled, or noticing the separate surcharge taken from their paycheck. (ObamaCare Sec. 1303(b)(1) & (2), Pg. 780)"

Employees who refuse coverage will be fined the greater of either the cost of the plan (average cost of the bronze level plan) or 1% of their salary the first year, 2% the second year, and 2.5% each year after that (ObamaCare amendment to Sec. 5000A(c)(1) & (2), Pg. 791)

As Christians, we must find out if our employers are requiring this coverage. If so, then we are contributing to the deaths of thousands of children every year... sometimes without even knowing it!  The only way around this is to refuse company coverage and pay for a more expensive, private insurance plan of your own choosing. Or be fined for carrying no health insurance at all. However, you may not even know your are contributing to the Abortion Subsidy until after you have enrolled and at that point, the government says there is no way out:

"Frighteningly, the conscience-stricken Christian has no escape. He or she may not refuse to cough up the abortion subsidy, the brief argues. “Once some Americans find themselves, for whatever reason, in plans with abortion coverage, the Act denies such enrollees the ability to decline payment for such coverage.”

This is evidenced by Section 1303(b)(2)(B)(i), which provides that the abortion premium “shall” be collected “without regard to the enrollee’s age, sex, or family status.” This mandate violates the Free Exercise Clause because the Act lacks an exception for enrollees with religious objections to abortion to decline personal payment into the insurer’s abortion fund.

The federal judge who upheld the constitutionality of ObamaCare last year noted that the law does indeed include the abortion premium mandate. “Thus, while Section 1303 cleverly (though superficially) avoids the direct use of tax-payer funds to pay for elective abortions, it in fact does so by forcing private individuals to fund them directly from their own pockets, without regard to conscientious objection to the direct and personal funding of abortion,” BDF argues.

To make matters worse, the Act does not require clear and sufficient advance notice of which plans in the Exchange contain coverage for elective abortion.

In fact, the Act seems to provide to the contrary, such that Americans could easily be forced by the individual mandate into the unwitting purchase of an abortion plan that causes them to personally pay for elective abortions against their sincerely held religious beliefs. (Read the rest of the article here: Obama Law Requires $1 Abortion Subsidy From Every Insured American)

"Under this Act, millions of American taxpayers will be forced to help support abortion coverage, in two ways..." Read the rest of the article here: The New Federal Regulation on Coerced Abortion Payments

Now that you know the truth, what will you do about this?

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

Read more information HERE.

Killing the Children: Obamacare Is In Effect

This weekend my sister has organized a Baby Shower to benefit the Alliance Pregnancy Center, a faith-based crisis pregnancy center that offers ultrasounds, counseling, clothing assistance and more to help prevent abortion but also to counsel and care for women who have been traumatized by their decision to abort.

We want to do what we can to help, not just talk about it. As Benjamin Franklin said "well done is better than well said." We know actions speak louder than heated arguments about the pro-choice movement on facebook. Hence, the baby shower. And the prayers. And the continued effort to try and educate our communities about truth and justice.

This subject has been very heavy on my heart. And very recently its even been affecting my husband's paycheck! Why? Because Obamacare is now in effect! If you are enrolled in your company's healthcare program, you are probably paying into the "Abortion Subsidy" without even knowing it! (more on this below or skip right to the Abortion Subsidy facts)

 I have wanted to write about this issue (I hate to even call it an "issue." I mean, its LIFE! What else is there?!) for awhile but just haven't found the right words. I'm glad someone else did. So I will link to what I consider one of the best posts I've ever read about pro-choice, pro-life, and abortion.  Here is a very quick excerpt:

"I took an abortionist out to lunch once, prepared to give him ten reasons why the unborn are human beings. He stopped me, and said, “I know that. We are killing children.” I was stunned. He said, “It’s simply a matter of justice for women. It would be a greater evil to deny women the equal right of reproductive freedom.” Which means women should be no more encumbered by the consequences of an unplanned pregnancy than men. That equal freedom from the burden of bearing unwanted children is the basis for abortion that President Obama refers to again and again when he talks about equal rights for women. We know we are killing children." ~John Piper                                Read the full article:

We Know They Are Killing Children—All of Us Know

For any of you that have already had an abortion and need help, Abby Johnson has written about this topic:  

"Truth without compassion is not truth at all.

I apologize to any post abortive man or woman who turns to the prolife movement for help and healing and instead is met with hostility and judgment. I am aware of the hate because it is often aimed at me, as well. Please know that there is real hope for you...and it is not in man...not in the prolife movement. Your healing will be found in Christ alone. With Him, you need no one else. I am always in awe of the courage that I see in post abortive men and women. You are a strong voice in this movement. Don't let anyone silence you by their ignorance. I appreciate you and I am always here to listen to your stories."

Those two articles/thoughts completely some up what is happening in the United States concerning abortion and also, the decision by conservatives to either help-- or make it much worse. 

Those of us that are passionate about LIFE MUST:

1) Pray  

"The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." James 5:16


2) Educate 

"Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words are twisted." Proverbs 2:12 NLT
 

3) Do what we can to support crisis pregnancy centers (NOT PLANNED PARENTHOOD-see below!!!) 

"Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do." James 2: 18

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22


4) Extend grace and love to all. 

Getting angry over injustice and the murder of innocent life is fitting. How you act on that anger is what differentiates between someone who is helping or hurting the cause!

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

5) Find out if your employer is contributing to the Abortion Subsidy in your healthcare plan 
(**see below).

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke

***
Why Planned Parenthood should not be supported:

From their website: "Abortion is a safe and legal way to end pregnancy. Abortions are very common. In fact, 1 out of 3 women in the U.S. have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old."

Planned Parenthood (and those companies that financially support them) encourage and perform abortions. Planned Parenthood performs around 300,000 abortions each year.



The Truth about the Pro-Choice Argument: 

What about Rape, Incest and when the baby endangers the life of the mother?

According to Kathleen DeZeeuw, "I, having lived through rape, and also having raised a child 'conceived in rape,' feel personally assaulted and insulted every time I hear that abortion should be legal because of rape and incest. I feel that we're being used by pro-abortionists to further the abortion issue, even though we've not been asked to tell our side." Read the entire article here:  Rape, Incest, and Abortion: Searching Beyond the Myths

Obamacare in Effect: The Deceptive Abortion Subsidy:

 "The employee will discover that their plan contains an abortion premium either by seeking it out in the fine print once they have enrolled, or noticing the separate surcharge taken from their paycheck. (ObamaCare Sec. 1303(b)(1) & (2), Pg. 780)"

Employees who refuse coverage will be fined the greater of either the cost of the plan (average cost of the bronze level plan) or 1% of their salary the first year, 2% the second year, and 2.5% each year after that (ObamaCare amendment to Sec. 5000A(c)(1) & (2), Pg. 791)

As Christians, we must find out if our employers are requiring this coverage. If so, then we are contributing to the deaths of thousands of children every year... sometimes without even knowing it!  The only way around this is to refuse company coverage and pay for a more expensive, private insurance plan of your own choosing. Or be fined for carrying no health insurance at all. However, you may not even know your are contributing to the Abortion Subsidy until after you have enrolled and at that point, the government says there is no way out:

"Frighteningly, the conscience-stricken Christian has no escape. He or she may not refuse to cough up the abortion subsidy, the brief argues. “Once some Americans find themselves, for whatever reason, in plans with abortion coverage, the Act denies such enrollees the ability to decline payment for such coverage.”

This is evidenced by Section 1303(b)(2)(B)(i), which provides that the abortion premium “shall” be collected “without regard to the enrollee’s age, sex, or family status.” This mandate violates the Free Exercise Clause because the Act lacks an exception for enrollees with religious objections to abortion to decline personal payment into the insurer’s abortion fund.

The federal judge who upheld the constitutionality of ObamaCare last year noted that the law does indeed include the abortion premium mandate. “Thus, while Section 1303 cleverly (though superficially) avoids the direct use of tax-payer funds to pay for elective abortions, it in fact does so by forcing private individuals to fund them directly from their own pockets, without regard to conscientious objection to the direct and personal funding of abortion,” BDF argues.

To make matters worse, the Act does not require clear and sufficient advance notice of which plans in the Exchange contain coverage for elective abortion.

In fact, the Act seems to provide to the contrary, such that Americans could easily be forced by the individual mandate into the unwitting purchase of an abortion plan that causes them to personally pay for elective abortions against their sincerely held religious beliefs. (Read the rest of the article here: Obama Law Requires $1 Abortion Subsidy From Every Insured American)

"Under this Act, millions of American taxpayers will be forced to help support abortion coverage, in two ways..." Read the rest of the article here: The New Federal Regulation on Coerced Abortion Payments

Now that you know the truth, what will you do about this?
 


***

Always remember: 
If you don't have LIFE, you can't have issues!!!

Photo credit: Abby Johnson

Mother Teresa Quotes about Abortion:

"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child - a direct killing of the innocent child - murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love, and we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts. Jesus gave even his life to love us. So the mother who is thinking of abortion, should be helped to love - that is, to give until it hurts her plans, or her free time, to respect the life of her child. The father of that child, whoever he is, must also give until it hurts. By abortion, the mother does not learn to love, but kills even her own child to solve her problems. And by abortion, the father is told that he does not have to take any responsibility at all for the child he has brought into the world. That father is likely to put other women into the same trouble. So abortion just leads to more abortion. Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion. "  

"Please don't kill the child. I want the child. Please give me the child. I am willing to accept any child who would be aborted, and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child, and be loved by the child. From our children's home in Calcutta alone, we have saved over 3,000 children from abortions. These children have brought such love and joy to their adopting parents, and have grown up so full of love and joy!" 


"It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."   
 

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This was a happy surprise with items I found in my pantry and fridge. Turned out great and the family loved it!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole 

3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 jar of salsa con queso (or melt velveeta with rotel if you don't have this)
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
1 package of flour tortillas


Combine all ingredients except the tortillas. Grease a 13 x 9 inch pan. Cover the bottom with tortillas and layer all ingredients like you would a lasagna, Ending with a small layer of sauce on the top. Bake at 350degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubble. Top with sour cream to serve.

Easy Crockpot Hot Chicken Sandwiches

These easy hot-chicken sandwiches are delicious!

Easy Crockpot Hot Chicken Sandwiches

4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 bag of salt and vinegar potato chips; crushed (if you can find BOULDER chips, they're the best!)
sweet pickles

Lightly spray crockpot with cooking spray. Add chicken, water and soup. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or until done and chicken falls apart easy. Add potato chips and continue cooking on high for 30 minutes. Serve on buns with pickles and remaining chips on the side.

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

I cannot take credit for these cookies. I used to babysit for a family when I was a teenager and their mom would make these amazing cookies. In all my years, I've never tasted any chocolate chip cookie better--not even at Disney World (and I LOVE the chocolate chip cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches from Disney!). I think its the butter and crisco combo along with the extra cup of flour. They'll definitely be a hit with the family!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

2/3 cup Crisco shortening
2/3 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teasoon salt
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips (ghiradelli makes the best cookies, in my opinion! If you want even better cookies, use 1/2 bag of milk chocolate and 1/2 bag semi-sweet!)

Cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips. Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Go-To Meals: My Favorite Recipes

Moving clear across the country and adjusting to life back home --with kids-- has proven a bit difficult. Life is busy, crazy and hectic. And our meals as a family have suffered in the process. So it has been my goal the past month to make sure my family is sitting down together each night as a family to enjoy at least one meal together, even on busy days. I've created some new recipes and incorporated my favorites to our menu in recent weeks. I will post about them on my blog and make a link list below.

I hope you enjoy them!


Italian Beef Sandwiches

THE BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

Easy Oven Baked Lemon Herb Salmon

Blackberry Recipe Collection (Coming Soon!)

Easy Crockpot Hot Chicken Sandwiches

Easy Broccoli Chicken Rotini (Coming Soon!)

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Easy Chocolate Pizza

Breakfast Omelet Muffins (Coming Soon!)

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Coming Soon!)