Jill's House - Celebrating Special Children

I have had the joy of attending McLean Bible Church for almost 6 years, under the teaching of Pastor Lon Solomon.  Lon is a powerful preacher and teacher, and his personal life story is an incredible testament to God's grace!

A huge part of the Solomon family's story is their daughter Jill.  I won't tell the entire story, but you can listen to Lon share about "Being Jill's Father."  Jill is now in her early 20's but requires care 24/7 - her life has presented many challenges for the Solomon family, but her life is beautiful and unique in God's special way.  

Here's a little about Jill's House:

Jill's House provides respite for children with intellectual disabilities and their families in the Greater Washington, DC area. We serve boys and girls, ages six through seventeen, with intellectual disabilities without regard to race, religion, or ethnicity. Our mission is to be a safe haven to which parents can entrust their children, allowing the parents a time of rest. To ensure that parents and caregivers get a real break, typical siblings are welcome to stay at Jill’s House. 

We believe that parents of children with intellectual disabilities need more support. Our hope is that our model will help change the way communities address the needs of families with children with special needs.

Through Jill's House, God has used Jill Solomon and her family to make an incredible impact on so many people!

Where do I come in?  Well, it's very minor BUT on October 26, my sister and I are running the Marine Corps Marathon 10K race with Team Jill's House.  We're running to raise money and support for this amazing place and the special children it serves!

If you're interested in donating, you can do so here on my Jill's House personal fundraising page.  BUT, even if you just check into Jill's House and spread the word, that would be great!  Ty Pennington even loves Jill's House!  He recently awarded them the Ultimate Give Back Challenge - check it out!

God can turn tragedy into something very beautiful.  Jill's House is a beautiful example of that - at the very least, listen to Lon's story and be inspired.  Whatever you're going through, God is sovereign over every detail.

*I should also provide the link to Michelle's fundraising page too!  She will likely beat me in running, so I need to beat her in fundraising!

Morning Majesty

This week I have to remind myself of the old adage, "April showers bring May flowers" - it's already been raining for two days straight and is supposed to continue all week.  We've gotten a taste of spring, and yet today it's been feeling like winter again!

Since I was stuck indoors tonight, it was a good opportunity to get out my cherry blossom pictures from a few weeks ago and revel in the beauty again.  This year, we visited the Tidal Basin at sunrise - it is absolutely worth losing a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning.  From now on, I plan to skip the crowds during the day and only visit in the morning - it was glorious!

I'm still working on my photography skills, but even just using the auto functions captured some absolutely beautiful scenes!

Hopefully, all of this rain is just preparing us for another round of flowering trees and flora!

"Almighty God Hath Created the Mind Free"

There's been a whirlwind of discussion the past few days, surrounding Tuesday's oral arguments at the Supreme Court in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby and Sebelius v. Conestoga Wood.  Well, more like a whirlwind the past 3 years as dozens of similar cases have been going through the courts.

I braved the freezing temps and snow to speak up for religious freedom while the cases were being argued! 

While Hobby Lobby's Green Family has been much more outspoken, I think this quote from Conestoga Wood's CEO Steve Hahn sums it up perfectly.  He begins, "We didn't pick this fight."

As I've been reading through commentary on the cases and the issue, I came across this article from a recently discovered website called, "Think Christian" - "Hobby Lobby's High Horse."

This particular statement prompted me to respond:

"By seeking to deny its employees the opportunity to exercise their own religious freedom, Hobby Lobby’s owners are elevating their personal beliefs (Scripturally tenuous ones, I might add) above a “moral good” for society at large. In a pluralistic setting, that’s sitting on an awfully high horse."

I've cut and paste my comments below:

Josh, I appreciate that your being thoughtful about this and willing to dialogue but I am getting frustrated by the Christian voices who are essentially making fun of Hobby Lobby and accusing them of being on a "high horse" You in fact, call their views "Scripturally tenuous ones". Look, I am a 20 something female, and I don't oppose most types of contraception. However, I cannot ignore science - that life begins at conception (check out the Endowment for Human Development) and that certain drugs and devices (the 4 that the Hahns and Greens object to) can cause early abortions: (Side note - less and less late term abortions are happening (praise God) and the real debate on abortion will be with chemical abortions that are happening at earlier and early stages, so this dialogue is going to continue.)

I would LOVE to start my own business one day - so do you really mean to tell me that if I'm able to do that, I should participate in/pay for/encourage something that I believe absolutely contradicts my conscience (murder of unborn babies)?  I think everyone keeps missing the point too, that the government has to show "compelling interest" that Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood must comply with this mandate. For instance, if they were making claims of religious liberty to not provide health care at all, or not hire women, or insert another ridiculous example, of course that wouldn't fly and would violate various anti-discrimination laws. However, when these drugs can be picked up at Wal Mart, CVS, Walgreen, etc it doesn't quite seem as much like a "violation of women's rights" for the company to not provide it, does it?

I also was going to point out that Hobby Lobby pays much more than the minimum wage, but I see someone else did.  Now maybe we can continue to disagree on this particular issue, but can't we agree that believers, and people in general, must answer to their own conscience?

One other thing I'd like to add - while this case has the specifics of an Evangelical and Mennonite family and their religious faith - it is about conscience.  Do not all CEO's have some sort of belief system or conscience?

What if the government in the future amended the ACA, that every health plan must include a diet of red meat because the population needs more protein.  Would not a Vegan-owned business object to that? (I just googled Vegan businesses, and apparently there are many! ) Would not those employees be able to get their meat intake elsewhere, easily? So why can't the Vegan business owner be allowed to "obey his conscience."  He or she should be able to! 

That's why the Pilgrims came to the "new world!"  I recently visited the Jefferson Memorial and was struck by one the author of the Declaration of Independence's quotes: "Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion...No man...shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively."

Everything about these families faith has informed how they started their business - if I am blessed with that opportunity in the future, it will be the same for me.  You say, "By seeking to deny its employees the opportunity to exercise their own religious freedom, Hobby Lobby’s owners are elevating their personal beliefs above a “moral good” for society at large."  Hobby Lobby has given their employees jobs!  God bless them for creating jobs and giving men and women the ability to work, have dignity, and provide for their families!  A job is not a divine right, nor is a health plan that covers a drug that will kill a baby.

Now all we can do is pray as the judges decide and deliberate.  For a good summary, check out the wise words from the ladies at Women Speak for Themselves.

Virginia's Presidential Trail

My historical/political-love tank got filled to last for a long time this weekend - we were able to visit homes of 4 of the first 5 U.S. Presidents and Founding Fathers.  It's amazing that they're all so close - Charlottesville is only about a 2 hour drive from D.C, and of course Mt. Vernon is about 20 miles south of the Nation's Capital.  What was in the water in Virginia back in the 1700's?  Whatever it was, thank God it was!

Each of these homes was uniquely incredible, and taking a tour not only takes you back to early 1800's, but also into the mind of each of these Founding Fathers.  At Montpelier, the final room on the tour is James Madison's library.  It's just a portion of the 5th President's collection, but as our guide explained, that was where Mr. Madison, father of our Constitution, studied and prepared before traveling to the Constitutional Convention.

Monticello is incredible, not to mention the fact that Thomas Jefferson himself designed it.  Among other things to admire about Jefferson is his humility.  I found this really interesting - his epitaph at Monticello reads: "Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia."   

James Monroe's home, Ashlawn-Highland, is more modest, but equally interesting.  The 4th President had a fascinating life and some amazing artifacts in his home from his time as Secretary of State.

And then there's Mt. Vernon, nestled on the banks of the Potomac.  George Washington was a skilled farmer, in addition to military genius, statesman, and our first President.  He is the perfect example of a leader "for such a time as this."

I've thought this at other times when I've toured Mt. Vernon, and the thought struck me again this weekend - these men were so smart.  Both Thomas Jefferson and James Madison spoke 7 languages!  And not to leave out the women - their wives too!  For example, Dolley Madison wrote the book on conversation, hostessing, and the role of the First Lady.  Their love of learning and making a better world for their countrymen, is inspiring.  My desire to preserve and protect their ideas and ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice for all has been strengthened! More beautiful pictures HERE.