ABOVE RUBIES NEWSLETTER #1, Feb 2010

Dear Above Rubies reader,

Praise the Lord, the new magazine, #78 is now in the printers. I am trusting the Lord for finance to send it out, but hope you will be getting it very soon. It is a powerful magazine and I feel it is the best one yet! I know you will be blessed and will be able to bless, encourage and inspire many others through this magazine.

And you’ll have lots to enjoy in this mini-Above Rubies while you wait for the new one.

I NEED GOD IN MY DAILY TASKS

I was reading Acts chapter six in my daily reading this morning. I felt the Holy Spirit speaking to me from verses 1 – 3. Multitudes were being added to the Lord. There were obviously many widows in their midst and they sought to care for them. However, some of the Hellenists were concerned that the Hebrew widows were getting more attention than the Greeks in the daily food lines and they complained. The twelve apostles had a meeting together and decided to choose seven men of good reputation and character and filled with the Holy Ghost and wisdom to wait on the tables!

Wow! They had to be filled with the Holy Spirit to wait on tables! To do menial work! Yes, it is just as important to be filled with the Holy Spirit to cook meals, scrub floors, clean toilets and change dirty diapers as it is to preach the Gospel!

Dear mother, seek to be daily filled with the Holy Spirit. You need the filling of the Holy Spirit to serve your family. I need it too. Without the Holy Spirit filling our hearts we’ll do it with resignation. We’ll see it as drudgery. We’ll complain. But when we are filled with the Holy Spirit we’ll do it with joy, no matter what we are doing! Every task becomes a sacred task when we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

A couple of days ago I was challenged as I read Acts chapter 4. Verse 8 says, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them…”  This is a challenge to me too. I must be filled with the Holy Spirit before I speak. Oh what a difference this would make in my home, on the phone or wherever I am talking to people.

Mothers. let’s be filled with the Holy Spirit as we serve in our homes, delighting in the most menial tasks, and let’s be filled with the Holy Spirit before we speak. That’s the biggest challenge, isn’t it?

BIBLE IN THE HOME

I have recently felt a great burden to encourage families to come back to reading the Word of God together in their homes. The Bible is our blueprint for life. It is our lamp to guide us in the way. How can we say that we are believers in God when we are not even interested in reading His guidelines?

I wrote a few thoughts about this in the coming magazine and quoted Horace Greely who said, “It is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible-reading people.”

We live in a world that is based in humanism, feminism and growing socialism. Unless we are bathed in the Word of God it is easy to get sucked in without even realizing it.

Our children must be bathed in God’s Word so that they will not be deceived. The more they are rooted in God’s principles, the greater they will be able to stand against deception and the wiles of the devil.

I’d love you to go to the website, www.aboverubies.org and check on a new subject. Go to ARTICLES AND STORIES. Then click on BIBLE IN THE HOME. Under this new title, you will find the following articles that will inspire you and give you practical help in learning how to find excitement in the Word of God for yourself and how to make it part of your family life.

According to Your Word

Altar Builders

A Quiet Time with Little Children? How can I do that?

Best Kept Secret

Don’t Stay a Baby!

How to Read the Word of God in your Quiet Time

How should I read the Word of God?

Ideas for Family Devotions

Ideas for Studying the Bible

Meditation Basket

Morning and Evening Principle

My Scripture Memory Buddy

On the Shelf or in your Heart?

Teaching your Children to Memorize the Word of God

The Banquet

The Best Read Book in our Home

What shall I do with the Word of God?

I know you will find great blessing in reading the above articles. Plus, Serene is writing a testimony about the power of listening to the Word. All her children listen to the Word of God for an hour each morning before they start schooling. She will tell you about the amazing things it is doing in their children’s lives. Look out for this one when we post it.

DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH

When you think about Family Devotions, many people wonder what to read. We have used different things at the different stages of our children’s lives. For some time while our children were teens, we read a chapter of Proverbs each evening. Because there are 31 chapters in Proverbs, we would read the chapter according to the date.

Currently we read the DAILY LIGHT. The DAILY LIGHT is a compilation of Scriptures on a theme for a morning and evening reading. These Scriptures were put together by Samuel Bagster and his family back in 1794.

Yes, it is that old! But this book is timeless because it is only the Scripture. I read it when I was a child and now we still love to read it for Family Devotions today.

We use an old copy that I purchased at a Second Hand Book Shop in New Zealand. I also have a little pocket one which I carry in my purse which I purchased at the same place.

It seems to be easier to find this book Down Under than here in the States. However, I have managed to find a source and I am making it available for you. This one is called…

DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH

(NKJV version)

It is exactly the same Scriptures that were compiled all these years ago. It sells at $15.99 but I am making a special for our Above Rubies readers for only $12.00 each. It will be a rich blessing for you and your family.

The back cover of the book states:

DAILY LIGHT… DAILY BLESSINGS! Thousands have experienced the spiritual rewards of daily reading these inspired Scripture selections. Each morning and evening devotional is designed around a biblical theme, giving you new insight into powerful spiritual truths. As you read DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH, you will:

Find fresh insight into the promises of God

Experience triumph in every circumstance

Discover new purpose for your life

Uncover deep truths of the Bible

Acquire newfound wisdom

Build your faith

As you spend time with the Lord every day, His Word will transform your life, bringing faith, love, healing, and an ever-deepening personal relationship with Him.

To order on-line, click here>> DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH or give us a call at 1 877 729 9861 to order by credit card.

BOOKS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION

In my editorial in the new magazine, I talk about how I have been conducting a home-school class with some of the older grandchildren. We have just finished reading through LIBERTY AND TYRANNY, A CONSERVATIVE MANIFESTO by Mark Levin.

It has been a very productive time so we are now starting THE 5000 YEAR LEAP, THE 28 GREAT IDEAS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD By W. Cleon Skousen.

I feel that it is an important hour for our children to know the history of our nation and most importantly of all, to understand the principles of our great Constitution.

I’d love to see all God-fearing parents taking their children through a book about the Constitution. As we raise a generation who know and adhere to the Constitution, we could see a turning back to our godly roots. Some other books you may like to peruse are:

THE MAKING OF AMERICA, THE SUBSTANCE AND MEANING OF THE CONSTITUTION by W. Cleon Skousen

THE HERITAGE GUIDE TO THE CONSTITUTION
Edited by David Forte and Matthew Spalding

GOD AND GOVERNMENT, Vol. 1, 2 and 3 by Gary DeMar

AMERICA’S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE: A FACT OR FICTION? by Gary DeMar

I’d love to hear of any good books on this subject that you can recommend too.

MEAT FOR MEN

My husband, Colin is once again writing his Monthly E-mail Messages to inspire and challenge men. His first series will be:

Principles of Preservation in Difficult Times

If your husband would like to receive these inspiring and challenging monthly emails, he can send a blank email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to the AboveRubies.org website and sign up using the "Subscribe to 'Meat For Men'" Link

He will then receive a confirmation letter which will need to be confirmed before he can receive them.

WOMEN’S DEVOTIONALS

That reminds me. Do you receive my email devotionals to encourage you as a wife and mother? My webmaster tells me that many subscribe but forget to confirm.

When you send a blank email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. OR when you sign up using the subscription boxes on the AboveRubies.org website, you will receive an E-mail confirmation letter which you must confirm by clicking on the confirmation link inside of the email. Unless you confirm, you won’t receive the emails.

YOU CAN NOW DOWNLOAD

MUSIC CDS AND TEACHING CDS

You can now go to the website, www.aboverubies.org and download Serene and Pearl’s music CDs, plus many of the teaching series.

You can download a full Music CD for $9.99 or a single song for 99c. Teachings in MP3 format are price quite reasonably.

So far, the following are available for downloading, but more will soon be available. My webmaster, Joe Goodale is working hard to make everything downloadable for you, so keep checking the website, www.aboverubies.org

Serene and Pearl’s Music CDs:

Peace All Over Me

Soothe Me

Angel in My Arms

This is our Road

Richest Man On Earth

Nancy’s Teaching CDs:

Shepherding your Flock

Evangeline’s Teaching CDs:

The Adventure of Motherhood

Guard your Child’s Brain Space

The Weeping Warrior

SPECIAL FOR THIS ISSUE, # 78

As you know, in each issue of Above Rubies I give a special discount on one of our products. I have already made a special on THE DAILY LIGHT ON THE DAILY PATH. However, that is a new product, so I have also advertised a new special on one of our existing products in this issue of Above Rubies.

QUIET REFLECTIONS FOR MOTHERS

Selected Poems for Mothers

There’s nothing like a poem to encourage you as a mother. These are poems I have gathered over the years and have been a blessing to me. They will bless you too.

Read them while nursing your baby, or when you are feeling overwhelmed and need a “pick-me-up”! Call a friend and read one to her over the phone—you will both be blessed!

Read some as you go to bed to rest your tired soul.

These books are also wonderful gifts to bless a mother, or for baby shower gifts.

You can go to the BOOKSTORE SPECIALS at www.aboverubies.org and order now without waiting for the new magazine to arrive.

INSULTING REMARKS AND WITTY COMEBACKS

From Dr Luke McLindon, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“I am hoping to produce a little booklet that highlights some insulting remarks made to women about their families by careless others. But I wish to make it witty and light hearted so as to encourage women who are expecting their child or need a little lift during their motherhood.

It will be illustrated with tasteful, Christian cartoons and will acknowledge each contributor (Name and home state). I'm hoping to collect honest remarks found insulting by mothers, with or without a comeback.

I have a very witty elderly lady who will delight in dreaming up comebacks if needed.

Could you ask your readers to send such remarks/stories to my email address? Dr. Luke McLindon

ABOVE THE ANGELS—THE WIT AND WISDOM OF MOTHERHOOD

The following is the introduction to the above book that Dr. Luke McLindon would like to produce:

There is a beautiful woman who has just given birth a week ago to her fifth son, I am the proud father.
The star of the show, without doubt, is my incredible wife.
Everybody agrees.
Everyone I meet has a comment to make about Madonna, whether they have met her or not.
Some comments made to me, her loving husband, are full of honour, others graceful, some polite, others tolerable and the occasional - absolutely insulting and downright disgraceful.
As a man and father, the lunacy of some comments gives me a fair indication from which phylum the protagonist hails, and provides good evidence for the theory of evolution.
As a woman and mother, however, the tolerable becomes intolerable and the insulting must be insulated, lest a raging fire of anguish is unleashed within a tender-loving feminine heart.
As I go about my business, which happens to be caring for mothers, I am struck by the repetitive narrative of insulting remarks relayed to me by many of these women.
It seems to me that everyone feels compelled (possibly obligated) to pass comment on a woman’s family.
The larger the brood – the more rude.
Only yesterday a midwife, recently expecting her third – unknown to many, was concerned about what her mother would say. Was she being greedy? “After all you have two healthy children … what more do you want?” This lovely woman was worried further by the fact that with her husband they pray more children will grace their family.
As a man and father I do not have the opportunity often to experience these comments first hand and unadulterated.
Often around the time of a birth I get a glimpse, and it gets a little clearer at each subsequent delivery.
Our new paediatrician (who was yet to be paid) whilst examining our newest arrival glibly asked “Did you have five on purpose?” Funny … indeed.
But when they are as beautiful as ours, what can one say?
Of course WE did!
On the other hand, as a doctor, I do have the privileged position of being able to listen to women in the privacy of a consultation room.
I am becoming aware of a deep anguish brewing amongst many of them, especially those who are blessed with more than two in their brood.
To harangue these women is inexcusable.
They are bombarded by verbal abuse and destructive social pressure.
Like domestic violence, it comes often from the closest quarters – family and friends.
On the other hand, self-righteous total strangers will pass scathing comment without hesitation.
Women are being hurt, by the insensitivities of significant and insignificant others.
It is having an impact, and it is changing behaviours, mothers are reluctant to take (all) their children out in public.
Is it affecting family size? I do not know.
But I have yet to meet a woman who says she had too many children, the same cannot be said about the converse.
Too many I have cared for lament not bringing ‘just one’ more to the family.
The family of humankind is on the decline.
Throughout the western world we are facing a global climate change – a demographic winter.
Society’s fertility rate is not at replacement level, we are not even close.
Mostly we enjoy the security of health and wealth, but our world’s hope in the future is not reflected in our children.
Economic rationalists recognise a person makes a net contribution to society. Yes, even in developing nations.
If anything, society’s reluctance to procreate tells of a pervasive hopelessness.
But there are others, who see children as more than work units, much more.
Children are a gift - the supreme gift.
They are the fruit of the mutual, selfless loving of husband and wife.
A temporal and spiritual participation in infinite love.
A gift carefully and deliberately given by a loving God, with all the essential graces a couple needs.
Children, to these loving families, are above the angels.
Creatures of body and soul, born of love.
It is to these families society owes much gratitude, for these families have hope in the future.
Hope in these children, who are the future.
Their trades and professions, their research and discoveries, their taxes and legislation is what will provide for the future.
But above all – their love of life.

Dr Luke McLindon MBBS, FRACGP from Australia
Australia spelling not changed.

AUSTRALIAN WEB SITE

If you would like to catch up with the Australian Above Rubies website, go to:
http://aboverubies.org/

Bonnie Walker is the Australian webmaster:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

KIDNAPPING OF HOMESCHOOLED BOY

From Alina Slane, You might be aware of the case involving a Swedish family, whose son has been forcibly removed from them by the Swedish authorities simply because they were homeschooling him.

The initial decision to remove the boy from his parents was taken about six months ago and sadly a court hearing recently upheld this decision, dashing Mr. and Mrs. Johansson's hopes that their son Dominic would be returned to them.

Understandably, they are distraught at this horrendous decision. It is a terrible and a heart breaking story and you can read about it on the HSLDA website:

http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/Sweden/200912220.asp

Yours in Christ, Alina Slane, Salisbury, UK

You can go to the following website to sign an international petition to have hi returned to his parents.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/return-dominic-johansson-to-his-parents

MEANINGS OF THE WOMB

Last year I asked if readers would like to share different words or meanings of the word womb. Here are the ones that were sent to me...

“a chalice”

“home of compassion” (The Arabic, Turkish and Hebrew word for “womb” is the same word as mercy or compassion)

“knitting place”

"house of gold"

“garden of life”

“a safe little bubble”

“a spaceship”

“heart of life”

“created trinity” Missy Roten explains, We know the “Divine Trinity” as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The “created trinity” represents “created” meaning life is created by our Father in Heaven; and “trinity” meaning it takes a [father] and [mother] to help make [baby]

“mother’s room” Naomi shares--When my son was little, he misunderstood Psalm 139:13 ,“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb” (NIV) and thought it was “Mother’s Room”.

"safe haven of love"

“house of life”

“a nesting place”

“palace of a child” (This is what it means in Chinese)

“sanctuary”

“the secret place” (from Psalm 139:15)

“cradle of the unborn”

“God’s creative workshop”

“my holy place” Tausha writes about her “holy place”, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“I am a mother of six precious arrows in our quiver and I always felt when I had my sonograms that I was looking into one of the most holy places. Just to get a glimpse of what the Creator of the world was creating inside of me always put me in total adoration.

I flooded my home with every sort of pregnancy book and pregnancy web site to enjoy every second of each of my pregnancies. It was such a blessing to me each time to be expecting a miracle. So it was always "my holy place."

Every time I would go into have my ultrasounds, I would have to catch my breath at the beauty of my baby, and the rapidly changing development. It always put me in awe. I felt it was like, there was a secret window into to God's holiest of places... my womb where God was creating my baby.

I believe motherhood and pregnancy is a total GIFT for women. We are so blessed to have our own half dozen and are leaving it up to God on how many arrows he will add to our quiver.

I have a dear friend who has nine arrows in her quiver and has total baby fever! They are trying to conceive their 10th!”

CLOTH DIAPERS

Recently a mother in our fellowship was in great need and couldn’t even afford to buy diapers for her child. WEE BUNZ came to the rescue and donated her cloth diapers so she didn’t have to keep buying them and could continually use them.

Because of her blessing this mother I said I would let mothers know about her in my newsletter.

If you would like to use cloth diapers, instead of wasting money buying disposable diapers and also save contaminating the earth, go to www.webunz.com or call 1 888 933 2869

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

So far we have translations of different Above Rubies articles in the following languages:

FINNISH 1 article
FRENCH 10 articles (Plus Colin and Nancy’s seminar in France 2009 is translated into  French and can be listened to. Check it out.
GERMAN 2 articles
POLISH 6 articles
SPANISH 16 articles
SLOVENIA Magazines # 62 - # 77 have been fully translated into the Slovenian language.

You can find these articles on the web page, www.aboverubies.org and check for OTHER LANGUAGE ARTICLES which is just under ARTICLES AND STORIES. If you know any friends or family in any country who speak these languages, please direct them to these articles. They can be printed off, photo-copied or printed and shared with others.

Also, if you are able to translate into another language, please contact me.

MOTHER’S VERSION OF 1 CORINITHIANS 13

OH MY DARLING!

Do you remember the song and tune of Oh My Darling Clementine? Sarah Brown has sent in some words that she loves to sing to her children to this tune. In fact, the children love to make up new verses.

Oh My Darling little children
I’m so happy that you’re mine
I’m so happy to be with you
To be with you all the time.

I’m so glad I’m not a daddy
Off to work he has to go
I’ll be home to play and teach you
Home to watch you grow.

Oh My darling little children
What a gift God gave to me
When He let me be a mommy
In our Happy Family.

Oh My Darling little children
I’m so happy that you’re mine
I’m so happy to be with you
To be with you all the time.

SARAH BROWN, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

I think it is a wonderful idea to sing personal songs to your children.

COLLEGE AT HOME

In Above Rubies, # 76 I printed a testimony from Cristina Driscoll about the success of doing College from home.

Last year another young person wrote to me. “Just a quick not to give ya’ll thanks for running the article on College at Home. It was a big encouragement to me to know this is slowly becoming more accepted and popular as a viable option of going to Babylonia Academia. I can attest to the power of “homeschooling through college.”

My heart is still at home 2 ½ years later. I am still pure and undefiled. And I am still committed to following Christ. Sadly, I cannot say that of all my friends who chose the other main route. Several of them have turned into “dead men walking,” cruel caricatures of Christians spouting the latest in liberalism.

Moms and Dads, I cannot emphasize enough: the cost is too high. You have poured almost 20 years into raising your children to lose them to Satan. It is simply not worth it.

And to the young men and women: this is a big way to set yourself apart from the world and do something radically different. As of May 2009, I have only three credits left towards my Bachelor’s Degree. It cost me less than $8,000 and only took 2 ½ years. Compare this to the 4-5 years and $60,000 price tag attached to a “traditional approach.”

Please consider this approach as the next step if you feel college is in your future or your children’s future.

P.S. I utilized primarily CLEP tests with some AP tests. The main resource we used to organize our approach was “College Without Compromise” by Scott and Kris Wightman. My graduating/accrediting college was Thomas Edison State College in New Jersey, found online at www.tesc.edu

ALEX McPHILLIPS
Contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions about my college journey and the route I took.

PARENTS—LET’S DO IT!

As parents we have the responsibility to train the new generation. Sadly, we are living in a generation that is deceived and blinded by humanism, feminism and socialistic ideas. We need a new generation that is grounded in the Word of God and understands that we are a Christian nation.  In May 7, 1911, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed that “America was born a Christian nation. America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture.” We need to train a rising generation who will reveal God’s truth and stand for God’s truth in the midst of deception.

I like Levin’s quote: “Parents and grandparents must take it upon themselves to teach their children and grandchildren to believe in and appreciate the principles of the American civil society and stress the import of preserving and improving the society. They will need to teach their offspring that the Statist threatens their generation’s liberty and prosperity, and to resist ideologically alluring trends and fads. Parents and grandparents by the millions can counteract the Statist’s indoctrination of their children and grandchildren in government schools and by other Statist institutions simply by conferring their knowledge, beliefs, and ideals on them over the dinner table, in the car, or at bedtime.” ~ From Liberty and Tyranny by Mark Levin

Let’s do it!

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL