On New Baha'i Blogs: A Mother Earth Baha'i and Her Family

So many of the new blogs by Baha'is coming online with each passing day are simply amazing. Each blogger represents another facet of the Baha'i community. This one is about a Baha'i homesteader. Here are two posts, one about her becoming a Baha'i and the second about being a stepfamily. All pics are from her blog, Rooster in the Roaster. This is going to be a fun blog to check in with. -gw

Monday, July 24, 2006

Our Family is Baha'i. I coverted to Baha'i 12 yrs ago. I was raised going to Methodist and Prespitarian churches. Though we went to church pretty regularly throughout my junior high and high school yrs we didnt practice much at home. It was just something we did on Sunday. All the while however, I had this amazing friend, Lauretta. She was being raised Baha'i in a huge family. All of her friends were Baha'i. Through the many yrs of hanging out with Rett I got a healthy dose of the Faith. Even with these forces in play, when I was 19 ish I would confidently say that I didnt believe in God. It was after the birth of my first daughter and a seperation from her father that knocked me on my butt that caused me to question my beliefs. I began looking around for the 'right' answers. I started visiting churches on Sundays. I figured Christianity had to be the 'right' choice. After all there was a church literally on every corner in my town. I did this for about two yrs. I settled into an Apisciple church as they had provided 'moms day out' gatherings each month. So- it was one Sunday morning in the middle of services there that I stood up in worship along with the croud and was bopped on the head with the realisation that I was a Baha'i! Yep. Thats how it happened. I went home and called my dear friend, Rett, and asked "how do I become a Baha'i ?" She about fell out of her chair! :)

As a result of this coversion, I met my current husband. He was brought to the Faith through his first wife and had long been a Baha'i. He was also the only other Baha'i in my town. So we met and the rest is history.

After all these yrs I still love the Faith. I have had my ups and downs spiritually. The reason the Faith is so dear to me is because of its drive for Unity. Unity of all the world's religions, unity of the human race, unity of the sexes. You dont have to hate anyone to be a Baha'i. Its ok to love. You dont have to be perfect either. As my husband says- to become a Baha'i doest mean you have reached a destination (perfection) but rather that you agree to get in the car and go for the ride.

posted by Carrie @ 9:28 PM, Monday, July 24, 2006, "The Baha'i Faith," The Rooster in the Roaster
~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Ohhhhh the joy of step families!
Well they are what they are. A mashing together of numberous different minds with their varied baggage. Jody calls us- Marbles in a can.

When I met Jody through the Faith I was still married to my two older girls' father. Jody had been divorced a year. Jody and I were acquaintances for a yr or so and after my marriage split I looked him up. It was another year until our wedding day. You can tell how much I love Jody. He was a single dad of 4- that's right four- full time kids. I was twenty six and had been a mom for all of 5 yrs. Combined we had kids aged 15, 13, 10, 6, 5 & 3. Two years later we added an "ours" to the 'yours and mine' senerio. We spent several years running kids to and from various visitations and juggling the needs of angry teens and cuddly school agers. We are 9 yrs into it and now have just 4 kids at home. Things are a lot calmer though we still experience big bumps.

Knowing what I know now...would I do it all over. No way! I would just kid nap Jody and run far away! Would I recommend doing the blended thing? Never! Its a hard road and I am not sure there is any winning in the end. All I can say is that I figure if 4 out of 7 of them come back for Thanksgiving when their grown- then we did alright. We'll have to see how that all turns out. In the mean time, we keep doing our best.

This picture [above left] was taken two yrs ago when the oldest came home for a visit.

posted by Carrie @ 8:02 PM, 8:02 PM , Saturday, July 01, 2006, "Step Families," Rooster in the Roaster