"SATURDAY NIGHT WIDOWS" - A NEW APPROACH TO GRIEF RECOVERY

Six women--none of whom knew each other previously--come together to form a new model of grief support as they collaborate on life's greatest devastation to debunk the myths surrounding the grieving process.  Today's Blog is a critique of Becky Aikman's landmark book, Saturday Night Widows, and how she rebelled against the conventional methods used for decades to help women cope with the loss of their husbands. Having begun this journey myself 4 1/2 years ago, I can attest to the many myths that abound and how the "experts" promote them in counseling widows to cope with grief:

Myth #1 - Widowhood is an "older woman's" dilemma
Myth #2 - You must go through the Five Stages of Grief to recover
Myth #3 - Rehearsing your tragedies promotes healing
Myth #4 - Grief is about becoming "Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrows" 
Myth #5 - Grieving women suffer from Depression
Myth #6 - There's a timetable in which you're supposed to predictably behave, recover and move on.

Here's a video clip from an interview conducted by Katie Couric (a widow herself) with the very real "Saturday Night Widows":



I highly recommend this book not only for widows, but for women who don't know what to say or do when someone they care about is facing this journey.  After all, "Losing a loved one is a normal transition in everyone's life.  Always has been." ~ Becky Aikman

FOLLOW BECKY AIKMAN ON FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/authorbeckyaikman

ORDER THE BOOK: 
http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Night-Widows-Adventures-Remaking/dp/0307590437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365293977&sr=8-1&keywords=saturday+night+widows

BLOOD MOONS -- PROPHETIC OR ASTRONOMICAL DECEPTION

TIME FOR A "SELAH!" ... Take a look at the frenzy, the fear and the misplaced focus that is being generated over the prophesied Blood Moons of 2014-2015.  Celebrity preachers are showcasing the phenomena from pulpit to television; from DVDs to book sales; and from YouTube to You-Name-It!  Even Fox News has interviewed Celeb Pastors about these forthcoming astronomical events. Somehow, I can't believe "That's what Jesus would do." 

This media frenzy reminds me of the 1999 Y2K flurry when church leaders stirred up the people that the world would come to a standstill at midnight, New Year's Eve.  They wrote books; made the talk-show circuits; visited hundreds of pulpits and profited $millions.   And the people--out of fear, not faith--stockpiled food and water; built fortresses; spent money they didn't have; and ignited the "prepping movement." But they either forgot or ignored that no where in the New Covenant -- (you know, the one that governs our day) -- did Jesus tell us to do these things.  To the contrary, He said "Take no thought for tomorrow..."  And Y2K turned out to be a prophetic boondoggle.  

I challenge you to take a few minutes to review an article by another Blogger, the "Olivet Journal," with which my Spirit agrees. (Click:  http://olivetjournal.com/mark-biltz-a-false-prophet-of-the-blood-moon/)

I suspect the Blood Moons will run their course, manifest, and the frenzy will dissipate because the dates touted by these Pastor Celebs follow the Talmudic Babylonian calendar--not the Levitical calendar God gave to Moses. It's impossible to really know the dates of the feasts today because they've been altered so many times. Perhaps that's what Jesus meant when He said, "No man knows the day or hour."  That's how I see it.  Shalom

The Spirit and the Bride say "Come..."

אני לדודי ודודי לי 

"I am my Beloved and My Beloved is mine." ~ Song of Solomon 6:3   

Behold He is coming quickly and His reward is with Him.  As we keep our lamps trimmed, and our hopes held high, let us worship together while we wait for our Bridegroom to appear...

FEAST of PURIM for the VIRTUOUS WOMAN

THE FESTIVAL - At sundown on Saturday, February 23, 2013, Jews and Messianics around the world will celebrate the Feast of Purim. Traditional celebrations include the reading of the Megillah (Book of Esther); the rattling of Groggers (noisemakers); the wearing of masks and indulging in sweet Hamantaschen.  Mardi Gras adapted many of its traditions from Purim.   But does this festive precursor to Passover and Easter have any relevance beyond the obvious party celebrations? Indeed it does. Purim is now the bridge between the old and the new Kingly Scepter of Power; and for the Virtuous Woman, it signals in the Hebrew language her calling and destiny:  Chay'll--the powerful, wealthy, force to be reckoned with! 

QUEEN ESTHER - The Festival of Purim comes from the Book of Esther (Hadassah) as a celebration of God's deliverance of Jews from an anti-Semitic politician named Hamen.  Hadassah gained favor from her King when she dared to approach the throne "unsummoned."  Persian Law demanded that if the King did not extend his Scepter toward her or anyone approaching the throne without being summoned, they would be executed.  But Hadassah's trust in God was greater than her fear of man.  And through God's favor, the King's Scepter was extended and he offered her up to half his Kingdom.  In the end, the Nation of Israel was saved.

TODAY'S SCEPTER for the VIRTUOUS WOMAN - So how does the blessing of Purim relate to the virtuous woman who trusts in the Heavenly King for her salvation and provision?  The new kingly scepter is the Scepter of His Righteousness (Hebrews 1:6-8)  This scepter represents her purpose, her success, her destiny.  Here's how the Scriptures reveal Purim for the Biblical Model of the Virtuous Woman:

Just in time for Purim - "Secrets of the Cohanim" - a 58-page Jewish perspective of healing oils from the Torah, the Mishnah and the Talmud.  E-Book version only $5.00

Click to order and scroll down the list:  http://www.essentialnews.com/book.htm?af=827887

THE CHURCH HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE RISE IN CANCER, OBESITY AND HEART DISEASE

"The Virtuous Woman rises early and provides good food for her household." ~ Proverbs 31:15

Does it really matter what we eat as long as we bless it--after all, we are no longer under the "Law."   Well, the New Covenant says it matters--and it's a requirement that is, for the most part, completely ignored by the Church.  

When the fledgling New Testament Ekklesia (Church) was just getting started, the apostles and elders gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the guidelines for Gentiles coming into the fold--those being grafted into the "Good Olive Tree," so to speak.  And by direction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28), it was decided that there be only four requirements of the Gentiles--not the entire Torah or requiring circumcision as had been practiced previously.  Three of the four--which were never rescinded Scripturally--involve the processing of meat; the fourth was to abstain from sexual immorality.  Even Yashua the Messiah warned that to violate these is to practice the Doctrine of Balaam and He chastised the Church for allowing it to continue (Rev. 2:14).   To disregard the New Covenant Food Laws is to defile the Temple!  These New Covenant Dietary Laws can be found in Acts 15:24-29:

1. Abstain from meats offered to idols (Balaam Doctrine - Ritualistic Food Practices--Putting faith in special foods for healing, supernatural powers, etc.)
2. Abstain from meats containing blood; (Animal died from natural causes; killed by another animal; less than fully cooked)
3. Abstain from meat of animals that are strangled. The animal must be killed Shechitah (Kosher), which is quick and painless to the animal and allows the blood to drain completely

Eating the blood of animals is prohibited because the Life is in the blood.  This also means that eggs should be first broken into a bowl to inspect for any blood spots before cooking.  Why does all this matter?  The negative side effects of eating blood or improperly prepared meats is creating an exponential rise in disease--primarily because of how the animal is raised, killed and prepared (processed).  And the lack of concern about the processing of meat has contributed to the epidemic of obesity, cancer and heart disease.  And of these things, the Church has remained silent:

 

"There is a way that seems right to a woman, but the end of it is death."

~ Proverbs 14:12

Visit the Virtuous Women Experience Online:  www.womanscents.com

WOMEN IN COMBAT - THE GREAT DECEPTION PT 2

Sadly, there are desperate women who feel their only hope for a future for themselves and their children is to enlist in the Military.  Society--especially organized, corporatized Religion--has left many women with few options. We the Church have failed in our responsibility  to provide monetary support, spiritual guidance and woman-to-woman mentoring to these desperate women. 

In PART 2 of Women in Combat--the Great Deception, I bring you Capt Katie Petronio, a highly qualified, combat-ready Marine Officer who warns of the physical and mental dangers for women not merely in combat, but in rigorous military roles.  As a Woman, she agrees with God and Mother Nature as she posted in the Marine Corps Gazette-- "Men and Women are not all created equal, so get over it!"

Virtuous Woman Experience Website:  www.womanscents.com

WOMEN IN COMBAT - THE GREAT DECEPTION PT 1

My Blog Post of  July 2012 (click on this line to view) featured a heart-breaking video of children devastated by mothers who abandon them for military commitments.  Now, fast-forward to the present day.  The ban on women in combat has been lifted.  So what can we expect now?  Why would a woman--or anyone--be so passionate about going to war?  Why would she, who by her God-ordained nature, abandon her role as Nurturer; Caregiver; Mother; and Lover; the same whom God anointed to "watch over the ways of her household" -- to instead become the Warrior?  Activities which are so contrary to her nature ... What is she trying to prove and who has deceived her to think she is somehow a less valuable, less courageous, less able member of society if she doesn't compete and even excel over her male counterparts?  Or is it something more deceptive?  Did she ever have the blessing of women role models who inspired and guided her with Godly wisdom to reach a more excellent destiny?  The answer is simple:  We have failed to mentor women as God ordained us to do. (Titus 2:3-6)

In the following video, one female Guard member conveys just how insidious and absurd the deception goes.  She claims that Mothers somehow have a benefit over other military personnel because they are "mentally more prepared to deal with stressors  since they've been through stressors with sick children."  But the bigger story here is the breakup of the family:  divorce, abandoned children; and in PART 2 of this exposé, I will introduce you to a Female Marine Officer who shares the unforeseen mental and physical downside for women in the military--including loss of muscle mass, bone density, PTSD and infertility:

VIEW PART 2 OF THIS STORY:  
http://virtuouswomanexperience.blogspot.com/2013/01/deception-of-women-in-combat-part-2.html

Virtuous Woman Experience:  www.womanscents.com