If you are a regular reader here, you have already read about how I took the Brave Woman Pledge. If you aren’t, the Brave Women pledge is:

I pledge to honor and respect brave women and children who tackle the difficult journey of change from domestic violence to a new life. I acknowledge my own moment-by-moment bravery, will remain aware of what is happening to others around me, and speak up against violence in any form. I will stand up for human dignity and safety for women and children.

A Brave Woman is a woman who has a lot of courage which is why I took the Brave Woman pledge. I may personally never have been involved in a domestic violence situation. However, I learned with my original post that may women that I know have. Some of the stories I have since heard writing my original post were heartbreaking. However, these are woman I am proud to know. Why? They were able to get away from their horrible circumstances. They don’t want their children to head down that path and put themselves in those circumstances. They want change. Most of all, they want to help others.

I believe that one person can make a difference. I believe that I can help support women who have been to hell and back and give them the courage and the faith that they can do this. They can leave for a better life.

Why are you taking the Brave Woman pledge?

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Photo Courtesy United States Marine Corps Taken By Keith Hayes

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We’re In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don’t Know Where To Look

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Did you know that ONE in FOUR women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime? That is an amazing statistic to me. I have lucked out, because I personally am not the one in four. However, I know there are women out there have to make those moment-by-moment decisions requiring brave choices and bold actions. You may not think this effects your life, but I can guarantee you that you know someone who has/had domestic violence in their lives. It is the hidden epidemic. I can’t be the only one who remembers the PSA commercials telling people to report domestic violence (I don’t see them anymore on TV, but I definitely remember them. I do wonder why they don’t show them anymore.)

It can be hard to believe in ourselves when we have been beaten down by circumstance, and that is where BraveWoman.org steps in. Brave Woman is a grassroots movement to shift personal and public perception of women facing domestic violence situations from a victim mentality to one of courage and strength. The ultimate goal is to create a community that supports difficult decisions involved in creating a new life of safety, healing, and independence. I wish we were there already. Every woman and child should have the supportive resources they need to live without fear in their homes and see themselves as courageous victors, finally free from family violence. I love that they have a link on the site called “click to hide site”. They get it that it can be dangerous to women to even be looking for a way out.

Even if you aren’t involved in a domestic violence situation, you can still become a Brave Woman Champion. You can take the pledge today and join other brave women. The pledge is:

I pledge to honor and respect brave women and children who tackle the difficult journey of change from domestic violence to a new life. I acknowledge my own moment-by-moment bravery, will remain aware of what is happening to others around me, and speak up against violence in any form. I will stand up for human dignity and safety for women and children.

I think this is something we can all do now and next year. Everyone who joins the Brave Woman community receives a free download of Jana Stanfield’s song, What Would I Do Today If I Were Brave and other sources of reflection and encouragement. You can also join them in a Brave Woman Twitter party on December 19th at 1:00-2:00 PM EST.

Will you be pledging to be a Brave Woman in 2012? Do you currently do anything to help those who find themselves in a domestic violence situation? (For example, we donate teddy bears to our church this time of year. Our church then gives those teddy bears to children in domestic violence shelters. It doesn’t seem like much, but those bears can mean the world to those children).

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I just recently joined Pinterest after hearing about its awesomeness. For those who don’t know, Pinterest is basically a virtual corkboard. You pin the things that interest you so you can find them later. For example, here are a bunch of recipes I want to try that I found:

You can create the boards to represent whatever you want. I’ve got one for cute house ideas, and you can even make yourself a virtual shopping and/or wish list! I will warn you though — it is highly addictive. However, I don’t know why I waited so long to sign up!

If you are interested in an invite, please leave a comment below letting me know. Just leave your email address in the email field (which will remain private), and I’ll get an invite out to you! Make sure you follow me there too!

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I’m going to go somewhere on this blog that I really haven’t before — church.  As you all know, my daughter attends Catholic school.  Part of that deal is that we attend to church on Sundays (not that we didn’t do that before.  However, I do have to admit that we go more now that she goes to school there).  I try not to go into too much religion here, because I don’t want to offend others that aren’t my religion.  However, our priest brought up something in our homily on Sunday that mirrors life too much that I can’t not comment on it.

In the Catholic Church, we are in the Easter season.  Our readings and homily were about Thomas and how the term doubting Thomas has come around.  Father Wayne talked about how many of us have seen Jesus (nobody raised their hand of course).  However, even though we’ve never seen God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, we all believe in them.  (There was more to the homily than this but this is jist of it).

Last night, Bill made the comment to me about how real life right now is mirroring this homily.  The news was lamenting on about how Obama isn’t going to release the pictures of a dead Osama bin Laden.  How does this tie into the homily (if you haven’t caught it yet)?

Our government has said he’s dead.  I have to go on the faith that they are telling the truth.  Even though I can’t see with my own very eyes (like I can’t see Jesus), I have to believe that he is.  I’m not a Doubting Thomas.

Personally, I don’t want to see these pictures, and I do not think they should be released.  Just because we are citizens of the United States doesn’t mean we are privy to things like this.  Plus, those people who are clamoring so much for them aren’t going to believe that the pictures are real anyway (remember Obama’s long for birth certificate).

What are your thoughts?  Do you believe Osama is dead?  Do you want to see the pictures?  Why?  And if your Catholic, do you have a homily that really struck home for you?

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