leading little hearts home

OUR MORNING {in photos}

2012-01-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

Hailey is the last one up.

Oatmeal is one of her favorites.

The fireplace keeps the whole house warm, so I brave the cold
outdoors to keep it fed.

Lydia helps to empty the dish washer.

Little boots wait by the front door- just in case. These boots really love puddles
and want very much to go back outside.

This is the table where Mama eats humble pie. No, I never, ever win...

The dining room. To honor Pa we framed some of the things we love best-
he is our protector, he plays with us and he spends time talking things out with us.

Those shelves really need dusting. Shhh... I will get to it someday. :)

We seem to have books in every nook and cranny. We have several stored in
those white IKEA magazine holders on the bottom shelf.

Hailey "organized" the trains while waiting for her breakfast.

Isn't the morning a wonderful time to start a simple stew (or a pot of beans or soup)?
The smell is delightful and it really takes the worry out of dinner time.

We all must spend time in the Word each morning. Because we just can't draw
water from an empty well.

Everyone finishes up their chores before school. Sarah is responsible for cleaning
the girl's bedroom.

Faith tidies up the kitchen and the girls take turns leading the singing
during chores. Hymns and praise songs.
I guess rainy days and Mondays just don't get them down...

Blessings friends,

____________________________

You may notice a new item in our sidebar. It is the DVD cover for a wonderful documentary made by our very dear friends, the Wintons. We were so very excited to hear that their important film made it into this year's semi-finals for the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF)! That's right, their first film effort and they made it to the semi-finals. So very like them. Check it out here.

TEACHING CHILDREN TO EMBRACE PLAN B

2012-01-18T06:27:00.000-08:00

As adults, we have been talking about making plans for the new year. Maybe you have written down goals, or maybe you have just set them in your mind.

Whichever the case, we can all appreciate the benefit in setting godly goals and plans.

But can setting our hearts on things ever be unhealthy? Especially for our children?

Lydia, age 7.

I remember as a young girl of about five or six, planning my birthday party with my mother. Of course, type A personalities begin young, and before long I had planned every tiny detail. I could envision just how pin-the-tail on the donkey would go; I could see sweet conversations over cake. Presents. And just how I would graciously hand out the party favor bags to my excited guests. Yes, I replayed each scenario over and over in my mind until I had the party figured out just so. It would be the perfect day.

On the day of my party, everything was lovely. Weather is always a consideration when throwing a birthday party in early March, but the sun shone and we were able to enjoy the out of doors. We took turns playing pin-the-tail on the donkey; we had a lovely cake and visiting time. And all of the presents were a real treat. In fact, everything was going just according to plan, I thought with a satisfied air, as I strode into the house.

It was time to begin handing out party bags and I was going in to get them. I really looked forward to seeing the excited faces of my friends as I gave them their surprises. But as I entered our home through the sliding glass door I soon discovered that the party bags had already been handed out-- without me! It hit me like a crushing blow.

I remember approaching my busy mother in the kitchen. I can still see her today working hard at the counter wrapping up some last minute details. I asked in evident horror- just what had happened with the party bags. A tragedy had taken place- right under our noses!

She looked at me a little surprised and said that she had handed them out. It was almost time for our guests to leave and she didn't want to forget their gifts.

She assumed that answer would be alright with me. Well, she assumed wrong!

You see, the goal in my mind wasn't just that our guests would get a special gift bag. The goal was that our guests would get a special gift bag in just the special way that I had planned.

In that moment I completely lost focus. I was blinded by disappointment. In my mind- all was utterly ruined. And as I focused on all that was wrong, I completely lost sight of all that was right.

I had a dear mother who had gone to great effort and expense. I had sweet friends whose families had given a portion of their weekend to come and celebrate me. And I forgot that the goal was to bless our guests, not to get fixated on a specific plan. I even forgot to be thankful for the good weather and the sweet memories we had made earlier in the day.

I flew to my room and cried and cried (I know!). I am embarrassed to say that I did not even thank my guests or wave good-bye to them as they left. I was far too busy feeling sorry for myself and crying over how things should have been.

Hailey, age 3.

I suppose this story from my childhood seems a bit ridiculous now- and it is. And we all sympathize with my dear Mother, right? But the truth is, it is really easy to become fixated on our plans (even good and seeimgly godly ones) and lose sight of all else. Our children can easily fall into the same trap if they learn to set their hearts on things in an unhealthy way.

How do we help our children to embrace Plan B? To begin to say, "Thy will be done." rather than MY will be done?

IN OUR HOME

As we work through this area in our home- and work we must- these are some of the things we focus on:

1. Teach children about God's Sovereignty.  We seek to encourage our children with Scripture that explains that only He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10); that He has a plan to work things together for our good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and, like in the Biblical example of Joseph, His plans are always better than ours. Through one-on-one discussions, we seek to use these truths to pry their little fingers off plans that are either too far away or not what we desire for them. For example, in situations where they want something that is contrary to Daddy's will, teach them to pray, "Please change either my heart or Daddy's heart" and then counsel them to let it go and trust God's plan. God is in control of the kings heart (Proverbs 21:1) - and Daddy's too.

2. Keep Children in the Word. Jesus said, "He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing... if you abide in Me and My Words abide in you, you shall ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit." -John 15:5-8   Our children need the Word. We need to begin to steer them toward seeking God's will and not their own. Yes, their plans may seem good- even godly- but they need to understand fruit is what brings the Father glory, not their plans. And that fruit comes from abiding in Christ and His Words abiding in them. As parents, we seek to find areas of struggle for our children and help them to memorize verses that apply to those areas.  Verses like Phillipians 4:6-  "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

3. Share real-life examples with them. We are told that the Old Testament was written for our example (1 Corinthians 10) and that we might both learn and have hope (Romans 15:4). By reading the life stories of others, we can gain wisdom and determine the path we desire to take- or not take- to avoid foolish mistakes. In the same way, other real life expereiences- ours or the experience of others- can demonstrate either ways in which the Lord brought a much better result than what had been planned or ways in which setting our hearts on things instead of God's will brought misery. If we share real-life negative examples we seek to do this without names and with humility that our children do not begin to cultivate a "better than" attitude.

4. Teach them a proper way of looking at things. We seek to cultivate contentment by talking over ways to be content- truly we can choose to be content in all things:  Our unique story, the family God has assembled (siblings and all); our homes, our income and so on. And- we seek to call things what they are. Little children may cry simply because they cannot get their way. In our home, we call that spoiled. And acting spoiled is against our rules. We are sensitive to the issues and will always listen to a tale of woe, but the tears must dry up and the little one must see if they are acting spoiled.

5. Pray. Oh- our children need prayer. This is not a flesh and blood battle (Ephesians 6:12) and the prayer of a righteous man, avails much (James 5:16).  We must pray that God that God will be our help. Sin can be so desceptive and only the Lord can take blinders off the soul.

“Setting our hearts on things above...”
~ Colossians 3:1-11

Question: How do you help children to embrace Plan B in your home?

Blessings,

KEEPING FIRST THINGS FIRST

2012-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

Big rocks first.

Maybe you have heard the rock and sandanalogy. It goes something like this. We all have a bucket. Andin it we want to carry a few big rocks, a few pebbles and some sand. The dilemma is how to fit everything in. If we fill our bucket upwith sand first, we will never have the space for the large rocks,let alone the pebbles we also wish to carry. But if we choose toplace the large rocks in our bucket first, then the pebbles and sandhave a way of slipping in between the cracks. With careful planning,we have more room for both.

Colleen Adams, Christian wife,homeschool mother and counselor, helps women to plan the “bigrocks” they wish to focus on with their lives. In her experienceas a counselor, she has met with many older women who are now deeplydiscouraged because they allowed life to simply “happen to them.” They allowed their buckets to be filled with unimportant things-sand- and never prayerfully considered the big rocks they wish theyhad carried.

Do we have a clear direction? Are weexcitedly and vibrantly living the purpose God has for us (Jer. 1:9,Eph. 2:10)? Or are we feeling hopeless, discontent and like life isjust happening to us? Colleen encourages all women to set godlygoals; to check these goals quarterly (a big key in success) and touse the talents God has given them- to the max! I recently had theopportunity to hear Colleen speak, and I wanted to share her insightwith you.

THE PURPOSE OF GODLY GOALS

Enjoying a Winter Brunch with CVP and RPC.

Of course, the only good goal for ourlives is a godly goal. We desire all of our pursuits to be lined upwith Scripture. Colleen is so careful to explain that setting godlygoals is a tool to help us clear our thinking and help us to pursuethe things we feel the Lord is calling us to do. We do not seek todo something for God (to earn His favor) but we do seek to be anintentional steward of the talents the Lord has given us.

You may say, I just want a simplelife. Well, that is just what goals help us to have. Instead of being pulled one hundred different directions, we are ableto set a course following prayerful planning with the Lord and ourhusbands.

You may not feel like you are anatural planner. Colleen encourages us that we can all plan. If we were able to plan our wedding and Christmas, we canplan our marriage and our goals for the next few months.

You may feel like you don't seethe benefit in being structured. Colleenshares that life goals cultivate an awareness in us and asserts thata lack of awareness causes us to make poor choices. She shares thatevery contestant on the Biggest Loser has the same things incommon: they were not aware of the calories they wereeating, they did not plan their meals orexercise and they chose the wrong things to eat (not enough protein, very little water and very little whole grain). Soon they were not in control at all, but at a loss as to how theywere hundreds of pounds overweight. We are continually choosing onething over another. Doesn't it make sense that we would want to beaware- clear sighted and prayerfully directed- when making thesechoices?

Our daughters Faith and Michaela (right two) with friends at the brunch.

WHAT ARE YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES?

Colleen suggests that we eachprayerfully consider what our non-negotiables (or big rocks) are. These are the daily things that must happen. Making your ownnon-negotiable list is eye opening. You will quickly see that manyitems that you spend valuable time on each day really just don't makethe list! They aren't really important to us, but they do take up“rock time” without our even realizing it.

Some of the categories she encouragesus to consider for our Top 10 list include:

Self Care (Being a good steward of God's house- this includes diet, exercise and sleep)
Spiritual Life (Bible and Bible and/or Catechism Memory, Family Worship)
Intellect and Emotional Life (Are you growing your intellect? Do you have a reading list for the year? Reading works by saints who have gone before us is valuable- we take strength from godly examples. What are your children using as their copy work? Are you dumping the bad baggage- rebellion, dreams of what isn't, bitterness? Do you take 10-15 minutes to be alone each day?)
Relationships (Maybe this is making one-on-one time with your children each month, Connecting with one of your few close friends, Practicing gratitude)
Life Strategies and Time Management (Maybe this means logging your day to see where your time is going or planning how you will spread the gospel)
Nest Management (Our homes- Colleen suggests taking time to focus on the Master Bedroom first and clearing it of clutter to make it a haven and not a garage.)
Financial Stewardship
Unique You (What interests and talents has the Lord given you?)

There is so much I could share abouteach of these categories, but one thing she specifically warns womento avoid is the false and dangerous piety of neglecting self care. She says that we should not insult God by letting His house get rundown. Caring for ourselves is not an end in itself and should not beout of balance with other goals, but self care does prepare us toserve others, to spread the gospel and to keep us from the temptationof pitying ourselves. Note: Items next to each category- inparentheses- are just to get us thinking about the goals we mightwish to set in each category.

Sweet friends and family.

BE SUCCESSFUL

Colleen suggests that the surest way tosucceed in keeping our goals is to:

Set just two very specific goals for each of your non-negotiables (ie. Don't just say for relationships that you want to be a "better" wife, but that you want to be a "better wife by" choosing to do something specific that will be meaningful to your husband.)
Write your goals down on paper. Keep track of how you are doing (Colleen's family has even made a weekly checklist to keep their goals in sight each week).
Meet with your accountability partner- you husband or close friend once a quarter to review how things are going. You don't have to wait until the New Year rolls around again to check in on your progress- by meeting quarterly you have the chance to start again every three months!

Our dear sister, Wendy, faithfully serving the women of CVP.

I hope you will be blessed by Colleen'swisdom as much as I was.

Question: What are your tricks for keeping first things first/ making sure you are getting your big rocks tackled each day?

________________________________

Todd, Colleen and their fivechildren serve as missionaries

in Quebec.

Youcan reach them at:

Field and Hearth Project, 3220 W.Monte Vista #300, Turlock, California 95380

Email: sevenadams@msn.com

RESOLUTIONS

2012-01-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

It's a new year. A chance to begin again. And new beginnings are what the Christian life is all about, isn't it? Glorious new beginnings. New hope (there is always hope!), new forgiveness and new mercies.

RESOLUTIONS

I have to confess- I have never been good at making resolutions. I suppose it's in part because I am afraid of public failure. But I think a larger part is that- at times- I simply lack resolve. I don't always feel like changing.

But something happened about a year and a half ago that is making me feel like I can tackle a new mountain. A while back I became a Weight Watcher. As a mom who loves to sit and read aloud and make fun treats for her kids, I had gained weight over time. I didn't really see it going on, but all of a sudden I wasn't a size 8 or 10 anymore- I was a Large, then XLarge and a little confused as to how I had gotten there. I didn't feel like I should have been overweight but the charts- and the clothing sizes- said I was. And, more importantly, it had begun to rob me of peace. It was time to make a change.

So, I decided to sign up at my local Weight Watchers. I chose them because 1) I wasn't sure where to start and 2) because I knew they would teach me new habits and ways to eat real food. I wanted a new lifestyle, not a get thin fast and gain it back cycle.

And you know what I learned right off the bat? It wasn't really about how much I was eating, it was about what I eating. I began keeping a record of what I was eating and found there were 100 little choices I was making each week that were adding to my weight.

I was enjoying Frappachinos instead of coffee with cream; white pasta instead of whole wheat; a piece of candy instead of a BBQ'd peach. Yes, I could still be a fun read aloud mom and make treats for the kids, but now we all exercise first and sometimes decide that yummy yogurt and sliced fruit are treats. Not every time, but often.

And as I made little changes week by week, the weight came off. Over the year I had lost 28 lbs.

And- it really wasn't that bad.

Maybe that's why this year I feel a little braver. And why I am actually making a resolution! This year, I am going to be a Money Watcher.

Just like a Weight Watcher, it doesn't mean perfection, but a plan (or budget) and a daily logging of what is being spent. Honestly, I do not like to focus on money. Usually, I log onto our bank account twice a month, pay the bills with one eye closed and log off as fast as I can. I'm busy I reason. And it doesn't seem spiritual somehow to be focused on money. But ignoring what I am doing with money doesn't mean I am doing my best for my family. It means that I am likely making 100 little choices each week that are adding up.

Yes, it is time for some new habits. I've spent some time with my old friend, a book by Larry Burkett, that helped us to go from two incomes to one once upon a time, a long time ago. I have made a budget, and a spending log. I have set goals.

And you know, I really don't think it will be that bad.

　

Question: What are you inspired to resolve this year?

Blessings,

　

GREAT PLACES TO GO:

Print these wonderful Scripture Memory Cards (FREE) from our friend Margaret at The Frazzled Mama.

Read this fantastic post about New Year Contenment from Nancy Ann over at Femina.

______________________________________

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

Michaela, age 12, with her country "stocking" on Christmas day.

"If we could condense all the truths
of Christmas into only three words,
these would be the words:

'God with us."

- John F. MacArthur, Jr.

God with us. That is something to celebrate! Our beautiful Savior demonstrates so truly by example how very little He values human pride, human loftiness and human ambition by His birth in a simple stable, with less than credible witnesses, for the purpose of reaching and saving those the Father had given Him.

As we peer again into the amazing true story of Christ's earthly arrival, our own hearts are moved to shun human pride as well and respond in praise to the One who has loved us so much.

Lydia, who turned 7 this month, poses with Sarah, age 10.

May you relish anew in the One who has first loved you; who has revealed Himself to you. So often we see Isaiah 9:6 quoted this time of year:

"For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given;

And the government shall be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace."

And yet, just before these verses we see clearly stated in Isaiah 9:1-2 that God was specific about just where the Christ would be found: "in Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light."

And we wonder-- again-- how is it that the people of Christ's day did not know He would be from Galilee? 'Can anything good come from there?' they asked. Many did not see.

Why?

Big girls, and best friends, opening their presents on Christmas.

I think the answer is best found in Matthew 16:17 when Jesus said:

"Blessed are you, Simon Barjona,

because flesh and blood did not

reveal this to you, but My Father

who is in heaven."

Yes, faith is a gift of God and if God does not awaken us, we simple cannot see.

Tom, capturing all the fun on video.

How our hearts love the truth of Scripture. The truth revealed through Christ. Because I know that I speak to kindred spirits here, I wanted to share this quote by R.C. Sproul that I just loved:

"There are those who think that truth is negotiable or,

even worse, divisive, and therefore should not be a

matter of passionate concern among believers.

But if we are not concerned about truth, then we have

no reason to have Bibles in our homes."

Little Hailey sporting her dollar store jewelry and feeling like a princess.

Truth. Love. God with us. We are so blessed my friends.

Merry Christmas!

VIDEO LINK

Our girls made this Christmas video to share with our family this year (Grandad and Grammie are serious dog lovers) and I just had to share it with you as well.

I hope your little ones enjoy it!

_________________________

Do you wonder if you- or someone you love- is truly saved?

By Grace Through Faith by John MacArthur:

Salvation is solely by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). That truth is the biblical watershed for all we teach. But it means nothing if we begin with a misunderstanding of grace or a faulty definition of faith.

God's grace is not a static attribute whereby He passively accepts hardened, unrepentant sinners. Grace does not change a person's standing before God yet leave His character untouched. Real grace does not include, as Chafer claimed, "the Christian's liberty to do precisely as he chooses."

True grace, according to Scripture, teaches us "to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:12). Grace is the power of God to fulfill our New Covenant duties (cf. 1 Cor. 7:19), however inconsistently we obey at times.

Clearly, grace does not grant permission to live in the flesh; it supplies power to live in the Spirit (cf. Rom. 6:1-2).

Read more...

JOY TO THE WORLD!

2011-12-14T10:37:00.001-08:00

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;

While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat the sounding joy,

Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,

And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders...

of His love.

Blessings from our home to yours!

Be sure to visit my friend Gabe's blog: Large Family Living in a Small Family World for some great last minute stocking stuffer ideas and a chance to win Starbucks!

________________________________

About the photos: The girls used the Scripture frames from last year and made ornaments. We are enjoying having various prophesies and their fulfillment right before our eyes. If you would like to make them, we shared the verses here. And we just slipped them into Dollar Store frames.

WOULD WE LIKE DAVID {really?}

2011-12-06T16:00:00.001-08:00

When I was a girl I dreamed of being a career woman. I looked to magazines that depicted lovely ladies in business attire and to TV shows and commercials that advertised that women could have it all: they could bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan and still be a woman to their man. ;) It was an unreal dream, but at the time I wanted that.

After High School, and while taking college courses at night, I donned my shoulder pads, knee high skirts and high heels and headed out into the world (yes a lot of the early appeal of the business world may have initially been the outfits...). First stop was a receptionist position at a computer circuit board shop. I worked overtime and went in to work on the weekends until I understood the ins and outs of each department. Soon I was quality checking printed circuit boards at my desk. Next, I was asked to move into a sales position in the division across the street.

I remember working countless hours to earn my way. On the nights when I didn't have classes, I worked late- sometimes getting home as late as 8 pm. I was driven and let's face it- I was young and had energy.

I knew I needed to work my way into a position I would be happy with before I got older and my energy died out. So I pressed on. I was zealous for achievement and just wanted to do the best job humanly possible.

My first month in inside sales I closed a record amount of deals. The VPs loved me. The VP of the division I left felt responsible for my success and the VP of the new division was pleased as punch.

Then one day my supervisor approached me privately. He said, "Something must be wrong if you feel that you have to work so hard. Maybe you are not productive enough during the day- and that is why you feel you need work at night as well." He urged that I needed to stop working so much- to slow down and pace myself. (As a funny side note- this supervisor actually had a list of excuses he would use on customers in his desk drawer. Instead of giving truthful answers as to why a product hadn't shipped, he'd just pull out his list and give one of his "tried and true" falsehoods. It saved him the trouble of getting out of his desk or making a phone call to find out the real reasons I suppose.)

Following that a co-worker also approached me (I think they were in cahoots) and told me that I was beginning to make all the other inside sales people look bad. I needed to stop all these late nights.

I was making others look bad? Well, that wasn't my motivation. I was working crazy hours and making a bazillion telephone calls each day to please my boss and to further my career. I was completely self focused, yes. But I hadn't realized I was hurting them. A light began to dawn in my thinking as I realized that they resented what I was doing. They were not happy with the increased sales I had brought to the department. I was doing my job too well. The truth is, it wasn't work to me in the same way that it was work to them. I didn't see it as a daily drudgery. I had a goal and I was eagerly moving toward it- it all seemed pretty easy.

Well, in any case things at work were awkward for a while. Then I was promoted on.

__________________________________________

HOLINESS- KNOCK IT OFF!

What in the world does that story have to do with anything? Well, there is a saying that no one cares how well you do, as long as you don't do better than them.

Is that true of us in the faith?

When we see a believer zealous for righteousness- reading the Word and putting it into practice; growing in holiness and putting their flesh to death in various ways are we excited with them? Or does it actually tee us off a bit?

When someone is keeping their home diligently do we point them out as someone we admire or roll our eyes and compare them to Martha Stewart- as though her name is a bad word?

Do we sit by silently as others in the church point and accuse those who seek to obey God with titles like: "Legalist!" and "Self righteous!" Do they accuse out of insecurity? And are we quiet because it eases our own consciences a bit?

Are we annoyed if others set a standard that we don't (even if it is based on Scripture)? And do we instantly believe that they must be judging us or see themselves as better than others...even if they don't? Do we want to take them down a peg or two and tell them to knock it off already?

WOULD WE LIKE DAVID-- REALLY?

In my last article, I wrote a fictitious letter to the psalmist David advising him to "ease up a bit" if he was going to speak to the modern church.

I wrote in jest of course, but I was trying to make a point. If you were fellowshipping with David in your local church today would you roll your eyes and believe he was "self righteous" if he said that he would "set nothing wicked before his eyes" and would "not know wickedness" (Psalm 101:3-4)? What if he stood against secret slandering of others and only employed those who actually walked in a "perfect way?" (Psalm 101:5-6) How tolerant would we be of that guy?

It is so easy to be misunderstood when writing. You cannot sense my tone, but trust me when I say that my heart is heavy over this. I fear that the modern church would label Abel, Noah and Abraham "self righteous" because they obeyed the commands of God (Hebrews 11:7). We seem to live in a time when obedience is frowned upon... in the church.

But the LORD actually says of Noah "in holy fear {Noah} built an ark to save his family" and "by his faith...condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith."

Seeking to obey the commands of God is not self righteous behaviour. Hebrews 11:7 is one of many places in Scripture that indicates obedience is faith.

Have you heard this new teaching in which obedience and faith are pitted against one another? As if the grace we receive from God is nullified if we seek to obey God's commands. That Christ's sacrifice and Christ's commands are at enmity with one another. But is this the picture we receive from Scripture?

"...we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of our flesh,

fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,

and were by nature children of wrath just as the others.

But God, who is rich in mercy... made us alive... For

we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for

good works..."

-Ephesians 2:3-10

Do not get me wrong. I love grace. I need grace. If I am not in Christ I am most hopeless because I personally bring nothing to the table. But the Lord is clear. We are created for something- not just to be saved. In the above verse we are told we used to fulfill the desires of our flesh and the desires of our mind, but now we are created for good works.

The saints of old- Abel, Noah and Abraham- their faith was seen in their works. Is it so different today? And yet I have seen believers divide over this issue. Why?

DO GOOD WORKS SAVE?

Short answer? No. Of course not.

We are saved by faith which is a gift of GOD (Ephesians 2:8). The real question is, does true saving faith obey?

It is recorded in John 14:15 that Jesus said: "If you love me, you will obey what I command."

Obedience is the fruit (John 15:16, Matthew 7:18-19) that evidences God's work as clearly as an apple evidences an apple tree.
So, if the true believer will seek to obey the commands of Christ. We have to ask- does GOD really care about what we set before our eyes or how we live (Psalm 101, Philippians 4:8)?

I think it is pretty evident that He does. And yet I am not here to give you a list of what we should do in order to fulfill these biblical admonitions. I am not even here to say I do this perfectly (I wouldn't dare!). I get my conscience pricked along with the next guy when I read the bold words of David.

But I do see a danger to our own souls when our conscience pricks us and we silence it saying- that is "not salvational" rather than seeking to obey the commands of Christ. And I do see a saddening trend that endangers the very unity of the Spirit (which we are commanded to keep- Ephesians 4:3) when we despise and disparage those who seek to obey God's commands.

GOD does not call obedience a "works based salvation." He simply calls it faith. Let us not create a new Jesus who no longer requires obedience. And let us not divide over such things.

When I worked in the world I worked hard for a perishing prize. Paul encourages the saints to work even harder for the prize that does not perish. I don't believe he was advocating that we can earn our salvation. I do believe he was calling us to run in such a way as to win the prize (1 Cor. 9:24).
What do you think?

Blessings,

___________________________

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the recent sermon entitled "The Law and the Gospel" covering Romans 13:8-14 by Pastor Steve Walker.

DEAR DAVID {ease up Brother!}

2011-12-05T09:21:00.001-08:00

Dear David,

I was reading the passionate words of Psalm 101 the other day and, well, I am just not sure how well you would fit into the modern church. I don't mean to discourage you Brother, and I know that God called you a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22), but if you are going to talk to today's crowd... well, I'd like to encourage you to consider taming things down a bit.

"I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;

I hate the work of those who fall away;

It shall not cling to me.

A perverse heart shall depart from me;

I will not know wickedness."

~ Psalm 101:3-4

This is what I mean. You say that you will set nothing wicked before your eyes- and you will not know wickedness. No meditating on TV, movies or magazines that make a mock of sin? Wow. That is just going to earn you the title of legalist around here. And while being known as someone who adheres strictly to the law of God may have been a good thing in your day- trust me when I say that type of title is seriously looked down upon today. People are just not going to have patience with that kind of talk...

"Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,

Him I will destroy;

The one who has a haughty look and

a proud heart, him I will not endure.

My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,

that they may dwell with me;

He who walks in a perfect way,

he shall serve me."

~ Psalm 101:5-6

Sigh- ok this too. This type of talk is just going to be twisted by those who hear it. We can't really expect to find people who walk in a "perfect way." And the modern church really doesn't want to hear talk about obedience- they see it as trying to earn their salvation, rather than the fruit that proves it (Colossians 1:10 and John 15:16).

People want to hear about grace- and only grace. Not obedience. When you say that you would only hang out with those who walk in a "perfect way" and that you would not tolerate those who are secretly snarky and assassinate the character of others- well, I just need to warn you that you will be seen as intolerably prideful. It is not popular to hold absolutes or to judge anything these days. In fact, you will likely be accused of being in opposition to Jesus Himself who is seen as only grace and love.

Yes, I know that Jesus was hated because He testified against (rather than approving of) the evil of the world:

"The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me

because I testify that what it does is evil."

~ John 7:7

But we have a more... abridged Jesus today. Jesus is now known as Someone who hung out with sinners, not as the One who called sinners to repentance. We steer away from verses like :

"Go now and leave your life of sin."

~ John 8:11

"I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows Me will never walk

in darkness..."

~ John 8:12

"If you love Me, you will

obey what I command."

~ John 14:15

Instead of repentance or change, we like to focus more on love and tolerance of all.

I would like to encourage you privately by the Words of Christ when He said:

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because

you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this

the world hates you." ~ John 15:18

And by the words of Paul when he said:

"Now you are light in the world. Live as children of light... and find out

what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,

but rather expose them." ~ Ephesians 5:11

Again, I love your passion and appreciate your stance against evil, but... I just don't think you are going to do well as a popular speaker these days. You might just want to consider toning things down a few notches if you want to be seen as truly relevant in today's culture. And maybe even make an exception to all you have written and consider watching some popular witchcraft movies-- you know so that you will have relevant things to share and really be able to reach today's lost.

Thanks so much for all the great Psalms and for your boldness.

Signed,

A Really Big Fan

_________________________

I hope it would be obvious that I intended the above as a bit of tongue in cheek humor and not that I would truly advise David to set aside his passion for godliness. :)

The sad truth is, I have long felt that if many of the saints of old were to come into the current

"Christian church" they would be received with less than a warm welcome.

To make sure that I am not misunderstood, I want to be clear to state that I in no way believe that by following the law we can earn salvation. Faith is clearly a gift from God. And although I believe that God first awakens a thirst in us, we see that Jesus' only criteria for salvation was simply that we thirst for it (John 7:37) and He tells us that whoever truly comes to Christ will not be turned away. To God be the glory forever!

So, if it is not "salvational" then does GOD really care about what we set before our eyes or how we live? We'll talk about that in our next post...

GRATITUDE {and a lovely boutique!}

2011-11-28T09:21:00.001-08:00

The guys from left to right- Jon, Ray, Tom and Sven

"Give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is the will of God in

Christ Jesus for you."

-1 Thessalonians 5:18

Hello Friends.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. We gathered again at Liz and Sven's for the chance to enjoy a delightful day of feasting, visiting together and walk down memory lane as we watched a video compilation of the past three years (great job Faith!).

How thankful we are to the Rafferty Family for making us feel loved- and full- again this year! It was a great time together.

Sparkling Cider for all! Auntie Liz, Faith, Lydia and Hailey Grace

THE GRATITUDE ATTITUDE

Whatever you did to mark this day, I hope that you gave yourself the chance to take a bit of a breather mentally. And that you were able to do what this holiday was created to do... give thanks to God for the bounty that He has given each of us.

Giving thanks is such a blessing to our own souls, isn't it? As we step back and consider all we have to be grateful for, something wonderful happens. We grow content and more than that- settled and uplifted.

We find that as we look around

through the lens of gratitude

all we have is turned into enough-

and more than enough.

Cousin synergy- they crack us up!

PRINCIPLES FOR SIMPLE LIVES

Gratitude gives us the chance to stop; pare down and enjoy the simple things. I appreciated these thoughts by Richard J. Foster as he shared principles for people who desire to live simple lives:

Buy things for their usefulness rather than their status

Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you

Develop a habit of giving things away - de-accumulate

Refuse to be propagandised by the custodians of modern gadgetry

Learn to enjoy things without owning them

Develop a deeper appreciation for the creation

Look with a healthy scepticism at all 'buy now, pay later' schemes

Obey Jesus' injunction about plain, honest speech

Reject anything that will breed the oppression of others

Shun whatever would distract you from your main goal

HELP ORPHANS WHILE YOU SHOP

I also wanted to let you know of a little jewel of an opportunity in the midst of what will soon be hustle and bustle.

In the spirit of Christmas, our church family is helping with a delightful Boutique this Saturday to

earn money for the adoption of orphans.

This is a fundraiser designed to give the community the opportunity to purchase quality, handmade gifts while supporting the adoption of orphans at the same time.

Our dear friends, the Wintons, recently produced this film to share the blessing of adoption with the church* and will be on hand as well.

If you are local, please consider coming out! We'd love to see you there.

Christmas Boutique Details:

DATE:      December 3 (this Saturday)
TIME:       10:00-4:00
WHERE:   225 E. Orangeburg Ave, Modesto, California

Blessings,
Rebecca

_________________________________

*The Wintons share that adoption isn't charity... it's war:   "Today, over 130 million children have lost one or both parents, and every 18 seconds, another child in the world becomes an orphan. In America, 114,000 children in the foster care system are currently waiting to be adopted, and an estimated 65,500 of those children have been adopted by homosexual parents... This is a battle against the forces of darkness. Adoption isn’t charity, it’s war."

MAKE YOUR OWN SILHOUETTE ART {it's easy!}

2011-11-19T10:46:00.001-08:00

The Girlhood Home Companion* is featuring a special Little Women Edition available just in time for Christmas!

In this most recent issue, our family has contributed a tutorial on silhouette making which we wanted to share with you!

SILHOUETTE ART

Silhouette art has been popular since the 1800's and presently it's graphic simplicity is making a strong come back. Before cameras were available, families often created silhouettes to capture their family member's image. Silhouettes can be made to capture full body action or, most commonly, the profile. Traditionally they are cut using black paper and mounted for display. We'll show you some tips to make professional looking silhouettes for display in your home. You'll be surprised at how easy it is!

Steps #1-#3--Take photo; print on white card stock; draw in details such as eye lashes and cut.

1. Take a profile photo of your subject using a digital camera against a plain, contrasting background. Have the face turned a little toward you so that you can just make out where the eyelash is on the other side of your subject's nose. Take a few so that you can choose the one you like best.

2. Using your own photo editing software, open the photo and print onto white card stock. If you do not have photo editing software, you can download GIMP from the Internet at no charge for the Mac or PC. Select the print size based on the size frame you are planning to use. We used 8 X 10.

3. Cut your silhouette from the card stock. Girlhood tip: Professional silhouette artists add eyelashes and little details to give the image more interest. Take a few moments to draw in the lashes and detail you wish to add before cutting. Consider adding volume to the hair as well as a curve to finish off the bottom of the silhouette. These little additions make a big difference.

When you are finished cutting you will have a white card stock silhouette (see below left) on one side and your photo on the other.

Steps #4-5-- Silhouettes cut- white card stock side up; scanned and color inverted.

4. If you have a scanner available to you, plan to scan the white silhouettes at this point. This will allow you a lot more opportunities to use these images again. You can use them to make wonderful gifts- Christmas ornaments, custom mailing labels and stationary, place mats, lockets, party invitations and so on. The possibilities are endless!

5. If you have scanned your image, invert the color (in GIMP select the color drop down menu and invert) to change the silhouette from white to classic black. In your editing software you can also add the name of your subject and save. You can reprint the black silhouette onto white card stock, again select the print size based on the size frame you are planning to use. We used 8 X 10.

If you do not have access to a scanner, you can still make a black silhouette for display. Using a foam brush, simply paint an even layer of black tempura paint onto the white side of your card stock cut out. Transfer to a clean paper towel and allow to dry completely. If you are choosing the painting option you will need to mount your image using an acid free adhesive to attach it to a piece of white card stock.

And viola! You are done. Frame and enjoy your classic treasure.

May you be blessed!

P.S. Oval frames can be difficult to find on a budget. We chose to purchase only 2 and fill in the remainder with inexpensive rectangle frames. The oval set was purchased online here and shipped at no charge via the ship to store option. They even texted me when my order arrived- convenient.
_________________________________

*More on the Girlhood Home Companion Magazine: The Girlhood is a beautiful full color companion guide, magazine, and character study all rolled into one publication. that encourages young ladies (ages 10-18) to enjoy their precious girlhood years while walking closely with the Lord and developing a deeper relationship with Him. Each edition features encouraging articles and stories that center on one character quality per issue explored through editorials, articles, and stories that will minister to the heart of your daughter, while teaching her the practical skills of homemaking, cooking, crafts, sewing and other girlhood pastimes.

Wouldn't the Girlhood make a lovely Christmas gift for your older girl?

BEING A FAITHFUL FRIEND {to our spouse}

2011-11-15T06:52:00.001-08:00

An Anonymous friend asked...

How do you biblically suggest that your husband needs to show more sympathy? I can see the father you described at the playground clearly...My husband is a good man and God is changing him more and more each year (just as He is changing me)!

I'm concerned because I see the hurt in the children's eyes and when they come to me for sympathy, he scolds them for that too. I do not desire to disrespect my husband or loose the hearts of our children.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

____________________

Hello Anonymous friend.

Well, we all have our blind spots, don't we? I know that I do. As your husband's best friend and help meet your desire is of course to do him good and not evil all the days of his life (Proverbs 31:12).

So, what does that mean in cases where we see something we fear will come back to bite our best friend?

In Scripture God tells us that the neighbor who flatters

spreads a net for the feet of him being flattered (Proverbs 29:5),

but a faithful friend corrects (Proverbs 27:6).

The flatterer never mentions his neighbor's blind spots-

he is only there for the happy times- and is not troubled

with the dangerous path (called a trap)

that his neighbor is taking.

As our husband's best friend we do want to be faithful and that, at times, may involve kind and gentle encouragement in one direction or another.

1. Do you think that your counsel is hearable? If not, look for areas in which you can minister to his needs- physical needs, training the children in the off times, gentle speech etc. before you broach the subject.

2. Use an example that he can relate to. In 2 Samuel 12:7 Nathan used a fictitious example to help David to see what he was doing. Sometimes, as adults, we relate better to ideas such as: "What if your boss handled a situation this way? Do you think that- maybe- that is how the children feel at times?" Sharing Scripture may also be beneficial: Verses such as James 1:20 and Ephesians 6:4, Galations 6:1 and Philippians 4:5 are applicable to this specific scenario.

3. Never correct your husband in front of the children. For one, if we do that, we undermine ALL authority in the home- including our own. Secondly, you will inadvertently put a chip on the children's shoulders as they get the impression that they are being mistreated.

4. Always use the sandwich approach. Start by highlighting an area that is a real success; insert the area of concern and wrap up with how you see the Lord working to change both of you and, again, how he is succeeding.

5. Always pray first. Ask the Lord for unity of spirit and wisdom about the correct time to speak- not when he walks in the door, not on an empty stomach etc.- and go with a gentle and humble spirit. Maybe the Lord will not have you mention it at all. Be sensitive to His leading.

And last of all, don't use a hammer when you may only need an encouraging word. :)

I hope this helps.

Blessings to you,

____________________

WHEN COUNSEL DOESN'T GO WELL...

By pulling this discussion out of the comments area, I have a little more space to add the following:

Even when we "do it all right" there may be times when our counsel will not be heard at that moment.

You have seen many different families. I would suggest that if you are observant you will notice that the families that stick together and are most gleefully happy are always those in which the wife is cheerful and in love with her husband. Does that mean their family is perfect or makes the same choices that you would in all areas? Not at all.

As help meets we try our best to see all things

eye to eye with our spouse for the glory of God,

but if you are not able to,

do not be devastated by it.

Choose joy and selfless love. Be a daughter of Sarah:

"They submitted themselves to their own husbands,

like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her lord.

You are her daughters if you do what is right and

do not give way to fear."

1 Peter 3:5-6

____________________

P.S. I am sorry about the formatting issues we have had recently. The posts look one way when working on them- and a different way when published. Even with tweaking I cannot seem to get it fixed- the weird formatting remains. I know it makes it hard to read (sorry about that) and I am considering a move to a different domain and blog tool. Ready for a move?

LEARNING TO SYMPATHIZE

2011-11-07T07:11:00.000-08:00

Reformation Celebration 2011. Cousins Katelyn and Michaela just
after their team won the barrel pushing contest!

"A parent loses his opportunity for good to his child,
if he fails to have sympathy with this child in that
child's weakness and follies and misdoings.

It is in every child's nature to long
for sympathy at the point where he needs it most;
and when he has done wrong, or is feeling the force of temptation,
he is glad to turn to some one stronger than himself,
and make confession of his faults and failures.

If he comes to his parents at such time, and he is met with manifest sympathy,

he is drawn to his parents with new confidence and new trust."

- Henry Clay Trumbull

The girl teams had to push the barrels by hand; the boys had to get on to roll theirs!

CHOOSING SYMPATHY

The Lord has been speaking to my heart about the value of sympathy. The above quote has been continually brought to mind day after day and week after week. And as I read the Word my thoughts continually go back to one word: Sympathy.

Isn't it kind of the Lord to not only show me the importance of this area, but to give me no shortage of opportunities to show sympathy at the same time?

Earlier this week as I planned to carve out just a few moments to work on this post one child bounded in my room asking me to read with her. I agreed and put my laptop aside. As I picked up my nearby coffee to take a sip I heard a crash- she had knocked over the lamp at the side of my husbands bed (for the second time in the past few days). Broken glass from the light bulb was on the carpet.

Then, before I had the chance to respond, another daughter ran in exclaiming, "Oh good. You are on your bed. Your bed is so cozy!" she hollered as she dove right on- knocking into my arm and spilling my coffee all over my white comforter.
I did my best not to respond at all at that moment. As I took the comforter off my bed to place it into the washing machine I closed my eyes and thought: Sympathy. I smiled. This was an opportunity.

Sometimes- often- I find that sympathy is a choice. And something I am working to cultivate in greater measure.

The Reformation play. Faith (Isabeau) caught in the woods and sentenced to

imprisonment for ministering to the Protestants.

THE HABIT OF SYMPATHY

I say that I am working at cultivating sympathy, because there are times when I do not feel it naturally. And there are plenty of times when I fail to be sympathetic.

Today I failed. I asked one of the girls to water our strawberries and when I looked outside she was watering a rock. A rock. In an area that I had spent quite a bit of time weeding just a few days before. A few inches over were the strawberries- as parched as ever. But that rock... well, it was getting all the attention. And I did not feel very sympathetic.

I hollered out the back door asking what she was doing and you know- I believe she had no idea why she was doing what she was doing. She was just experimenting. Making her own waterfall. And although she needed guidance- she also could've used a little sympathy.

Just as with other good habits, practice makes progress. I see the value in choosing to be sympathetic with our children's weaknesses and being the person they can trust with their failings and hurts.

The Lord helping me, I need create a habit of sympathy.

Fun friends- Morgan and Michaela (M and M)

SYMPATHY BUILDS HEART BRIDGES

I have really been amazed at the power of sympathy in wooing and winning the hearts of my children.

Recently two children had a conflict. As I met with both girls individually with this thought of sympathy in mind I found it to be such a bridge between our hearts.

A conflict that could have ended simply as an irritant became the Sovereign grit that worked to smooth and polish their hearts for His glory. By being sympathetic- both with their failings and with their hurts- I had entered into their world.

I had gone beyond patiently waiting for an explanation so that I could dole out a punishment to really hearing where they were. And as I did that, something amazing happened. They become exceptionally reasonable. There were no walls or defenses up and they could hear my counsel easily. As I shared a perspective from God's Word they knew the truth of it and were even thankful for His wisdom in allowing conflict. There was genuine repententance and an anxiousness to reconcile.

There is power in sympathy.

As the girls worked on their daily writing assignments this week I found the following worked into their papers:

"Mama is sweet and she builds people up... I thank God for her every day."

"My mom is the best mom there is... If I am having trouble we can talk about it."

No, I did not pay them to write sweet things about me... I would have, but it didn't cross my mind. ;) This was all due to the power of sympathy- and the Lord helping me to employ it.

I can think of plenty of times when I have not been as sympathetic as I wish I had (cringe). But how thankful I am for the Lord's mercy and the opportunity to begin again each day.

There is power in sympathy. It is the power to build heart bridges.

Part of the cast from the Reformation play- our wonderful director (Joel) in the center.

These are such great kids. Really great.

A BEHAVIORAL PROBLEM

The other day while our children were playing at a park, my husband was talking with another father. The father was complaining that his son was a real behavioral problem. Within minutes the little boy (about 4 or 5 years old) was crying. It appeared he had fallen down in the bark. "Is your leg broken?" the father shouted across the play yard? "Are you bleeding?" he continued. "Get up and stop crying." the father commanded. The little boy turned his head and quieted his crying. The father laughed and shrugged off this interruption to his conversation.

A few moments later one of my daughters ran up to me and quietly explained that the little boy had not just tripped- he been pushed off the platform which was about five feet off the ground by another child. And when he had hoped for sympathy and tenderness by someone who cared- he was mocked publicly for his crying in front of the bully who had injured him.
Ouch. We can all relate to this. By that I mean that as parents we have all misjudged a situation at some time or another. My desire is not to judge that father- in fact, you may notice that I rarely use examples of others failings in my writing (I have enough of my own).
But I wondered, could it be possible that some of this little boy's "behavioral problems" might be mended by a small dose of sympathy?

Fun loving cousins- Lydia, Mercy and Hailey.

CAN WE BE TOO SYMPATHETIC?

I know that we worry about the implications of being overly sympathetic with our children- especially boys. If we sympathize with them when they are injured we fear that we will create whiny, wimpy children who run to Mama for every little offense, right? And isn't there a place to say "shake it off"? Absolutely there is.

Once we know the scenario, we might need to ask our kiddos to stop crying or shake it off. Once we know the scenario...

And I hope you realize that I am not suggesting that we should ever reward spoiled or demanding behavior or overlook disobedience. Not at all. Not ever. We cannot overlook issues and call it grace. That is not grace- it is negligence. But sympathy doesn't over look.

Sympathy is a spirit needed in times of childish foolishness; when a child is struggling with temptation; in times of injury and when a child has failed and is in need of being restored.

It is a sincere concern for our children's souls and creates a strength of character, not a wimpy character.

Instead of a child needing to demonstrate how hurt they are for an ounce of attention, we let them know we are concerned and on their team right off the bat.

When enter into their troubles and concerns, we win the opportunity to direct their hearts toward godliness and they will hear us when we let them know this is one of those times to shake it off.

We can be too hands off- ignoring what is really happening- but we cannot be too sympathetic.

Faith (left) played Isabeau a brave Huguenot who ministered to the needs of the saints and her friend Kelsey (right)played a heartless aristocrat who relished in the sufferings of the Huguenots. Kelsey is a real sweetie in real life.

BEARING ONE ANOTHER'S BURDENS- IT'S THE LAW

We need to guide and correct our children often. We live in a fallen world. But as I was working through this idea of sympathy it occurred to me that this might also be called bearing one another's burdens. Which happens to fulfill the law...

^"Brothers,if anyone is caught in any transgression,

you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.

Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfillthe law of Christ."

Galatians 6:1-2

John Mac Arthur says this about bearing one another's burdens:

"The troubles of this world are manifold and relentless... We worry. We grieve. We stumble. We strain under the toil of our daily labors. We feel the guilt of our fallen condition. Meanwhile, we are assaulted with adversities of various kinds. Those are just a few of the many worldly burdens that frequently keep our thoughts from rising to heaven.

Paul made this duty (of bearing one another's burdens) a high priority. It was the centerpiece of his admonitions to the Galatian churches. The first half (or more) of Galatians is a defense of justification by faith and a series of arguments against the false teaching that threatened to place those churches in bondage to the Law. In Galatians 5:14 he reminded them: “The whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

How is that love best manifest? “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2).
The first and preeminent example of burden-bearing Paul mentions involves dealing with the burden of another Christian’s sin. “If anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness” (v. 1). That, of course, isn’t a different approach from the steps of church discipline Jesus outlined in Matthew 18:15–17. It merely explains how that process is to be carried out (gently and meekly), and it underscores the true goal (restoration, not punishment or public rebuke per se).

Sarah and her sweet friend Eve.

In other words, the person restoring the sinning brother isn’t to approach him as if he were a master over him but meekly — as one who is willing to help shoulder the burden so that the one who has stumbled can get to his feet again.

Verse 2 then simply states the underlying principle as an imperative (“Bear one another’s burdens”). Obviously, the precept applies to all kinds of burdens — not merely the burdens of those who stumble into sin. When Paul suggests that burden-bearing “fulfill[s] the law of Christ,” he makes it clear that he has the whole moral law in view. Every act of compassion and self-sacrifice on behalf of our brethren is a practical means of displaying the love of Christ and thereby fulfilling the moral demands of His law...
Do you want to fulfill the moral requirements of the Law? Love your neighbor. How do you love him? By bearing his burdens.

It’s interesting that Paul would emphasize this theme in an epistle written to confront people who were falling into legalism. It’s as if he were saying, “You want to observe a law? Let it be the law of Christ. If you have to impose burdens on yourselves, let it be through acts of love toward your neighbor.”

Is that not often the job of parenting- gently restoring our children? It is a fulfilling of the law.

Our three oldest girls at dress rehearsal.

THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE

The following inscription is found on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abbey:

“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits,

I dreamed of changing the world.

As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change –

So I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country,

but it too seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing

only my family, those closest to me,

but alas, they would have none of it.

And now I realize as I lie on my deathbed, if I had only changed myself first,

then by example I might have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement I would then have

been able to better my country,

And who knows, I might have even changed the world.”

We love these brothers.

There are traits we so desire to see in our children. Grace, patience, kindness- even sympathy.

But I wonder if they first need to be seen in us.

Game spectators on hay bale seating.

Blessings friends,

_________________________________________________________

Photos: From our Reformation celebration. This year our attention was focused on the French Huguenots (from whom we are descended) and their persecution following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes which had granted them some religious freedom. By studying persecution we hope to prepare our children and ourselves in advance for persecution that will surely come to each of us in some form or another. "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..." 2 Timothy 3:12.

A statue at the cemetery marking the St. Bartholomew's massacre.

TEACHING THE FINE ART {of doing good}

2011-10-21T01:28:00.000-07:00

"The finest of all the fine arts is the art of doing good

and yet it is the least cultivated."

-T. DeWitt Talmage

Our daughters Sarah (9) and Michaela (12) enjoying the chance to kayak

Do you find that people tend to be more focused on grades and SAT scores than cultivating virtue in the youth of today? Where do we go for the models of a high moral standard and well doing?

I love what Karen Andreola's shares in A Charlotte Mason Companion about the idea of training children toward virtue.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIRTUE AND VICE

"...Character is two sided and, according to his training, his character qualities are either nurtured into virtues or allowed to degenerate into vices.

Pity is a virtue if it cares for another. Idle pity just says, "Too bad." Pity can turn into self pity, which is not a virtue. Truth-telling is a virtue, but if it is blunt and tactless- spoken without love- it is not a virtue. The only way to make the virtue grow is to train the child's conscience and instill in him a love for others.

To breed vices, the most powerful agent is love of self, and this almost always begins in the cradle. The toddler who cries, screams, whines or whimpers for his own way (and continually gets it) can become the youth or adult who terrorizes his family with his fits of rage. " p. 58

Sorry Hailey, your placement in this post was purely accidental *cough.*

Our 3 year old daughter, Hailey, really wanted to do the climbing wall like the big kids

PREVENTING FAMILY BICKERING

Karen goes on to explain that virtues must be inspired and cultivated. A child cannot be punished into virtue. Children need Biblical correction and they need to be inspired by heroes who embody the virtues of Scripture. Well, I'll let Karen do the talking:

"... about family bickering. The two main causes of them are selfishness and harsh judgement of others. No punishment is of the smallest use to combat these.
In fact, punishment may awaken resentment and arouse greater spite against the person on whose account it occurred. It will never diminish the selfishness. Penalties will suffice for the moment, but another kind of correction is needed.

Virtues, like flowers, grow in the sunshine. You can cultivate them or draw them out with love and reason, but you can neither force nor whip them into existence. Try to do so and the virtue you want will come forth in the guise of it's corresponding vice. Instead of truth-speaking courage, you will get lying cowardice; instead of obedience, obstinacy."

Our 9 year old daughter, Sarah, on the archery range

She goes on to share that the best way to prevent bickering is to

train the child to find its happiness in giving others pleasure and to show him always how good and kind others are to him.

To let the names of mother, father, sister and brother stand for love and loving kindness to him."
If you have not always trained your children this way (and I am sure we would all admit we have not done this perfectly) she encourages the following:

"Never be cross, and never add harsh words of reproof when a child is sore under what it feels to be an injustice.

This is often difficult (YEP! My own comment added) to do because it is our natural response to control his temper with a stronger one of our own. Yet I recommend you work against any tendency to overpower the child in this instance.

Gently draw the belligerent mind to the fact that he is feeling very unhappy, {and} that this is merely the natural result of saying unkind things..."

It was nice to meet you in person Amanda! Thanks for saying hi. :)

GOOD BOOKS HAVE IMMENSE VALUE IN BUILDING VIRTUE

She goes on to encourage a bedtime story hour to cultivate the child's virtues and discourage bickering.
"When the boys and girls sit round the fire with mother or father, a series of stories might be told, evening after evening, bearing on instances of love and self-denial. Then you will have the opportunity to ask, "Wouldn't you like the chance to do such a caring thing for another person?" p. 59

This isn't the idea of avoiding certain media for "legalistic" reasons (and I will be honest- I very much dislike the use of the word legalism at all because in our day it often amounts to little more than one man's Biblical conviction pricking another man's conscience) but we are encouraged instead to look for opportunities to build good resources into our children's hearts and minds for the purpose of cultivating virtue and teaching children to do good to others. And yes, to skip those that don't.

Our oldest daughter, Faith (14), was part of the drama team that portrayed real Bible couriers bringing Bibles into restricted countries. These pics are from their practice.

She does not recommend stores such as Pinocchio because although the character has good intentions, he has a weak will. Instead she recommends good and virtuous models such as Heidi, Hans Brinker, The Swiss Family Robinson and the like. Stories that entertain but also model kindness, courage, generosity, loyalty, honor and working together as a family.

Faith caught with Bibles in Cuba.

Rather than forcing a child to give up their rights, Karen encourages that the parent use the opportunity to

"draw the child's attention to any suffering or discomfort that may have been occasioned by his selfishness: 'Imagine the pleasure you could have brought to your little brother had you built that sand castle with him this afternoon, and had not sulked in your room bored because Sarah could not play after all.'
This is making a mental picture for the child of what could have been. Then be sure to allow the child the full benefit of the happiness an unselfish action brings.

Of course, our best help is from the Word of God. Asking our younger children to tell us the areas they struggle in and helping them to find verses to memorize; assigning our older children to write out lies the enemy may use and verses to combat them (our oldest just wrote out over 2 pages of common lies our Enemy uses and solid verses to respond with from her own study) and reading from God's Word- emphasizing the heroes He does.

I sure love getting kisses from my girlies! This is proof I was there- thanks for insisting Sarah.

"I have had long talks with my children about their power to render others either good and happy, or naughty and miserable, and the great responsibility this power brings us."- Karen Andreola

Don't you wish all parents had this talk with their children? Me too.

Cousin time!

I hope you enjoyed these thoughts on teaching virtue by Karen and Charlotte. May we all be at work cultivating the greatest art- the art of doing good.

Blessings friends,

________________________________

Photos: We've just returned from Homeschool Family Camp at Jenness Park. It is always a wonderful time to meet other like minded friends, enjoy fantastic food and be inspired in well doing. On a funny note, you know what is usually not discussed at Homeschool Family Camp? Homeschooling. It rarely is. Maybe it is because many of the moms have been at it a while and feel pretty set in what they are doing; maybe it's that we live and breathe education all the time and were ready for a field trip away or maybe it is because homeschoolers know that education is so much more than classroom lectures, flash cards and bored children. It is about family, the bringing up of souls while learning the skills of well doing along with the mental discipline mathematics and the like. And maybe we were in fact "homeschooling" together without needing to discuss it at all. :)

WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO GIVE UP!

2011-10-12T14:20:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel stressed out, like a failure and just plain want to give up as a home school mom?

I have a secret for you- me too! The truth is, everyone does sometimes.

What triggers this process? Maybe something isn't going right- maybe it's a lot of things. The house is a mess; you are comparing yourself to someone else and you feel like you are missing the important stuff. You want to throw in the towel and get an easier job! But is that really the answer?

Maybe it's time to re-evaluate.

PESKY PEACE ROBBERS

We all have things that rob us of peace. Sometimes our lives can be so busy that all of a sudden we find our home is unorganized; our little one is fussy and in desperate need of training; the windows are dirty and we are stressing out while teaching math because we know an important bill hasn't been paid!
Now is the time to identify exactly what is robbing us of peace; pray with our spouse for wisdom and rally the troops!
It's okay to take some time out to tackle those windows and pay that bill. And nothing helps to train a toddler out of whiny behaviour faster than being put to work and being praised for their efforts.

When the visual clutter is reduced peace is often restored and mom and kids can focus all the more on the academics or on reading an encouraging piece of literature together. Put those peace robbers to rest-- even if that means taking a few minutes out a couple times a day to zip the house back in order.

It really is worth it.

A picture Lydia drew of me reading the Bible with the girls.

COUNT YOUR {OWN} BLESSINGS

Paul says that to comparing ourselves among ourselves is not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12,17) but often we fall into that trap, don't we? We look at the outside and notice when someone else seems to be doing better than we are and then we beat ourselves up.

Of course we usually don't compare rightly. We compare an area in which we are weak to someone else's strength area. We do this over and over and soon we see ourselves as a Wemick with all dots and no stars... sigh.
Of course, compounding the problem of comparing is that it usually results in being self focused and covetous- we want what they have (or what we think they have)- which keeps us from being thankful and content. As our focus shifts to what we don't have we are not able to be thankful for what we do have.

When you are feeling overwhelmed it is a great time to count your own blessings-- and not your neighbors.

Look at those sweet faces looking up at you and relish in the fact that YOU get to disciple those punkins in the Lord. You have the ability to teach them your values; encourage them to esteem their brother as better than themselves; chip daily away on that pride (ours and theirs!) and protect them from the ungodly philosophies peddled in the world that would wreck havoc not only in our homes, but in their hearts.

You are able to give them the best teacher possible- one who loves and understands them; who sympathises with their weaknesses and prays for them. Yes- YOU!
No, they haven't arrived. They are not perfect angels. And honestly- neither are we. BUT because we are together we can help them to see their sin (and ours) so that we can seek the Lord and His mercy together. As we learn God's Word and see our sin we are all the more motivated to freely run to the Fount of true, saving grace- the Lord Jesus.
Take time to thank God today for giving you the challenge of bringing up your children in Him. Remember that He created your family for His own glory. Ask Him to open your eyes and your heart to what is real and eternal today and count your blessings.

Seeking to focus on God's Truth.

DETERMINE TO BELIEVE GOD

So often we can become worried and distressed over the minor things (and when I say we- I am really saying me). Spelling, geography, knowledge of literature- they all can become elevated to critical importance and then we make an important mistake. We think that a teacher in a Christian school or a teacher in a government school has some secret key to knowledge and can make our children wise.
But the truth is, God does not say that if any of you lacks wisdom, let him go to school.

He says:
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." -James 1:5

There are times we can be so wound up mentally that we are tempted to believe we don't have time for worship and Bible with the kids- we've got to get to those academics!

But Who gives the knowledge of the things we wish our children to learn? (Thank you Lisa for this verse!) We want our children to gain knowledge in all kinds of literature and learning and so we pursue those things, but we learn that GOD is the giver of all those gifts:

"To the four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning." -Daniel 1:17

Determine to set your own preconceived ideas aside; to believe God and take Him at His Word. I had to be reminded again that my God is the One who fed thousands with five small loaves and two small fish (I love that Luke mentions that the loaves and fish were small... in case we thought big loaves of bread and fish would feed five thousand plus people- Luke 6:9)... and had twelve baskets left over! He doesn't need us to bring Him perfection. We bring Him our little bits and He does the real work. His load is light.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." -Matthew 6:33

"John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven." -John 3:27

Keeping things simple.

SIMPLIFY
Adjust not only your own expectations, but feel free to make adjustments to your routine that simplify.
Creating Routines: Remember in generations past families would have Monday as Meatloaf night and Tuesday as Taco night etc? Routines can really help when we are feeling under pressure. Whether they are meal routines or the routine of assigning an older girl to read a couple of books to a toddler before nap time. If it is wholesome and it simplifies life, embrace it!

Doing things Together: Often just making the switch to do things together helps to simplify. If everyone does chores at the same time, exercises at the same time and rests at the same time- even that adds simplicity.

Give yourself a Break: Pencil in family and rest days on your calendar. It may mean saying no to activities that would crowd into those slots, but often the fellowship within your family is lacking during these times when you are under pressure.

Purge the Extra: It's easy to accumulate a lot of stuff! The problem is, the more we have the more we have to take care of. Purge things you don't use. Tuck away things you don't use daily. Remember that your cabinets are valuable real estate. If you are not using something maybe it's time to give it to someone who will.
It's ok to make changes that help you to simplify.

Celebrating Oktoberfest with our German Uncle Sven and family.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Get the rest you need. A friend of mine often reminds me that this race is a marathon, not a sprint. That thought is helpful to me.

Remember to contact a godly friend who will pray for you and encourage you in the Word when you are down. The Enemy would like nothing more than to divide and conquer.

Exercise and eat foods that will give back to you- fruits and vegetables in place of french fries not only fuel you but help you to feel better about your choices.

Connect with your spouse. If you can't go out, have a date at home! Feed the kids early and let them watch a sweet video while you and your spouse have a special dinner over candlelight.

Take a little time out to do something that you can succeed at-- baking, writing, sewing, photography or some other hobby you have tucked aside. Give yourself a little time each week to do something you can feel good about.

And remember that God is glorified not in our strength, but in our weakness.

"But God chose the foolish things of the world

to shame the wise;

God chose the weak things of the world

to shame the strong."

-1 Corinthians 1:27

TENNIS CLASS {a video}

2011-10-03T05:53:00.000-07:00

For those of you who watched the girl's last video production and have been begging for us to add another one (well, I know you meant to beg...)

You need wait no longer!

To follow is a short, four minute video, of tennis class made by Faith and Michaela.

For my part I say, "Hooray for big kids who film and video edit!" It's the first time in years that we've had home video available-- and let's be honest-- they do a much better job than I ever did. I do believe I am officially retired. ;)

Blessings to you!

The Film Making Duo!

______________________

FALL HAS ARRIVED {quietly}

2011-09-29T11:16:00.000-07:00

Have I been a little quiet? It seems in the midst of doctor appointments for Lydia*, home schooling and regular life, the seasons have changed. Fall has arrived on quiet feet. And, truly I welcome it's effects. It invites us to don a cute sweater; say yes to making an indoor fort out of sheets; to cuddle up with a good book and even look forward to the prospects of eating homemade pancakes by the fire (the girls tell me that some of their best memories have been on cold days with homemade pancakes in front of the fire and books read aloud. It's always the simple things, isn't it?)

Faith smiling at her daddy.

For our family, the seasons have changed in another way as well. After five years of needing to work a night shift, Tom has been able to switch to a day schedule. That means I now wake up at 4 am to make his breakfast, coffee and pack his lunch- which I love. Would you believe it? It turns out I am really a morning person. It also means that he is not rushed to squeeze in Bible before he needs to leave for work; he is home in the evenings to play Loving Family with the girls- which they love; and this Friday when we have a party to attend- I have a date and won't be going solo! Yes, sometimes change is good.

The BBQ King strikes again.

As our minds begin to think about celebrating the harvest and a big meal of Thanksgiving we think a lot about food. I am reminded that in Scripture we are told if we love our Lord, we will feed His sheep (John 21:15-17). Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him three times, and in response to Peter's affirmative and eventually troubled reply- the Lord commanded that if Peter loved Him, he was to feed His sheep.

How are we doing feeding the sheep in our homes?

A cheery little scarecrow welcomes us home.

Years ago when my step-mother was diagnosed with breast cancer I began to read and study about the disease. I found that most people who die from cancer don't die from cancer itself- they die from malnutrition. I remember sitting with her at the convalescent hospital near the end when a nurse delivered a tray of food. "Pat-pat" I encouraged her "please try to eat a little." She was uninterested. The food was right there. I was willing to help. But she would not eat. Sadly, she did not live much longer.

Is it really pumpkin season again?

Without spiritual nouishment our children have little hope of survival in this world. They will waste away while Bibles in our own language gather dust on the shelves. The food is there- we must feed Christ's sheep. In our children's case we actually have control over what they eat both physically and spiritually. Scripture memory, meditating on God's Word day and night (Joshua 1:8) and our excitement for the Word and it's application to every area of our lives cannot be underestimated. Yes, salvation is of the Lord and yet He gives us verse after verse that indicate that we must know His Word. Scripture is profitable for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17); from His mouth come wisdom, knowledge and unserstanding (Proverbs 2:6-9); and by hiding His Word in our hearts we are kept from sinning against Him (Psalm 119:105). It is a combination of meditation, application and work by the Holy Spirit.

Rich warm colors replace casual cool ones.

I appreciated this quote by John MacArthur:

"Godly character is not the result

of good intentions, wishful thinking,

some mystical 'zap,' or even sheer

Bible knowledge.

It's developed through the self disciplined

application of God's Word at a very basic

level, enabled and powered by God's Spirit."

Amen.
May we feed His Sheep, teach them to apply God's Word to every area of life, pray for them diligently and trust God's Spirit for the rest.

Time with my sisters- left to right: Dale, Me, Elizabeth.

Fall blessings to you!

____________________________________________________________________________

*For those of you praying for Lydia- thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! She had significantly fewer seizures this month (4 vs. 11 last month).

HOW TO BE FAITHFUL {in homeschooling}

2011-09-12T23:30:00.000-07:00

-------------------------------------------------

Once there were two servants.

The first servant was a faithful man. Upon the completion of any given task, the faithful servant would immediately return to his Master to inquire what He would have him do next. Because of his faithfulness, his Master had grown to rely on him and found that he could trust him with greater and greater responsibilities.

One day, the faithful servant was asked to set sail for a township across a channel of water in order to deliver an important message for his Master. The servant wisely conferred with his Master, making specific notes about the trip so that he might do exactly what his Master desired of him.

Soon all was ready and the faithful servant began his task. While on the way, various people began to ask where he was headed. They too were servants and suggested that maybe he could spend time with them on their errands before going to do his. That way they could at least enjoy one another's company while they worked. But the places the other servants were headed were never just where he was tasked to go- in fact, some were actually in the opposite direction from where he was headed. The servant met other people who were selling tickets for pleasure cruises and encouraged him that he could easily squeeze in a quick detour and then get right back to his Master's task.

But the faithful servant knew that his kind Master had reward and rest enough planned for him and he was not to be deterred from obeying the commands he was given. He found that his single mindedness actually made it easy for him to to say 'no' to the clamor of well sounding options around him. The scheduling of his voyage was easy-- important tasks fitting right in while superfluous plans simply fell by the wayside.

The faithful servant worked efficiently and felt contented in his obedience.

The second servant saw the first heading out on his mission across the channel. The second servant was a man of good intentions who also wanted to please his Master, so (without an actual conference with his Master) he came up with a spontaneous plan. He would copy the first servant and follow him.

It seemed just the thing. You see, the first servant was known far and wide for being both faithful and counted on by his Master. He had earned himself a position of respect. Common sense dictated to the second servant that if he wanted to be like the first man, he should do his best to look like him; to act like him and to copy his mission. So with no time to spare, he quickly acquired a boat and headed out onto the water.

At first, the second servant had little difficulty in following the first. Yes he was a little ways behind, but he was keeping pace with the first servant and he was quite pleased with his progress. In truth, he really did look just as dutiful to the Master as his model. At least for a time.

After a while though, and it was likely because he had never actually received direct orders from his Master, he found it harder and harder not to be distracted by sights and sounds around him.

There were all these other travelers. And the funny thing was, they didn't seem to be headed... anywhere. He felt them look at him with sideways glances and interpreted their gestures. He began to feel quite silly at his rushing along and he questioned himself-- why was he was exerting so much effort? What was the rush anyhow?

The second servant slowed his boat down-- just a little-- so that he wouldn't stand out so much. But after a short amount of time he had completely lost sight of the first servant's boat. 'That's alright,' he reasoned. He really didn't have strict orders of his own. And soon he began to feel quite at liberty to join in whatever fun activities were happening around him rather than rush or search for the first servant.

There were times when he questioned if these other folks he was spending so much time with really even had a Master at all- they had such freedom with their time- but they sure were nice and he was enjoying their company.

So, what was the harm? Over time, and without even noticing it, he had laid his oars down and had begun to sail wherever the waves would take him. Enjoyment of the ride had becomes this servant's only goal.

Eventually both servants would need to face their Master. I suppose it is not difficult to guess which one would be the most happy to see his Master's face.

-------------------------------------------------

"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit,
who is in you, whom you have received from God?
You are not your own; you were bought at a price."
-1 Corinthians 6:19

-------------------------------------------------

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run,
but only one gets the prize?...

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly..."
-1 Corinthians 9:24-26

---------------------------------------------

I hope you will not misunderstand the point of my story. I am not saying that I am the faithful man. I long to be him- always! But sadly, there are times when I look down and realize I have set down my oars!

I am also not saying that we cannot or should not enjoy the blessings God has provided for us. Or that our lives are to be all work and no fellowship. Clearly that would not be consistent with the whole of Scripture.

Rather, I hope you will gather that the point is-- we should ask our Master what it is we are to be up to. We should pray and ask Him for direction; goals for our family and goals for each of our children. We should realize if we are simply following men the resolve of our 'convictions' will not be lasting.

Instead, the Lord commands that we seek first His Kingdom- knowing that all things will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33).

My husband and I recently spent some time in prayer; working through the plans for the new school year and asking the Lord for specific direction. Why? Because the world pulls at all of us. And it would be too easy to be like that second servant- full of good intentions, but missing the point.

We remind ourselves- and each other- that it isn't good enough to be involved in lots of good things-- if they aren't the good things the Lord has planned for us (Ephesians 2:10: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them).

You've heard the saying-- if you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. In 1 Corinthians Paul says that we are to run this race of life like one running to get the prize- and not like a man running aimlessly.
That second servant was running (or sailing) aimlessly, wasn't he? He was out there in the water, but he had no goal- at least no goal that would stick with him because it wasn't given to him by his Master.

Oh my. I am sorry friends. I am sure that this post is too long. Maybe you can see why I don't even attempt to Tweet. ; )

I will leave you with just one more quote that recently spoke exactly what I was thinking as we begin a new school year. It is from Steven and Teri Maxwell's book Keeping our Children's Hearts (if you haven't read this book, it is a must!):

"We will investigate two main thrusts to keeping hearts.

The first one involves turning our hearts toward our

children (Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:17)...

The second thrust has to do with sheltering our children

from negative influences while giving them purpose

and direction in life."

I think many people pick up on the importance of keeping our children's hearts. I think we have seen a huge shift in direction as parents have been inspired to turn their hearts home and have even been willing to shelter their children from negative influences.

But what of this purpose and direction? Do we have goals that drive us? And are those goals from our Master?

If we are to be faithful servants we must seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance.

Praying we will seek Him in all things! Because only then will we truly be faithful in homeschooling.

_____________________________

The above art project can be found here under mini murals. Simple and fun!

PRAYER REQUEST {for Lydia}

2011-09-08T00:45:00.000-07:00

"It came to pass after these things that God did test Abraham."

- Genesis 22:1

One of my favorite people in Scripture is Abraham. He responds always as I wish that I would.

When it was time for he and Lot to part ways-- he deferred to Lot and allowed him to choose what seemed to be the best land. Esteeming others more highly than himself.

When Lot was in trouble, Abraham rescued him with his trained servants-- yes, he was prepared and ready. Diligent in important matters.

When the king wanted to reward Abraham for returning the kidnapped people that his army was unable to save, Abraham refused-- he was faithful to what he promised God and would not even take even a sandal strap from the spoil. Abraham trusted God alone to provide for him.

And when God asked him to sacrifice his son-- his only son that he loved-- we are told he packed up and left the very next morning to obey God. No complaints. No discussion about how human sacrifice did not line up with his theology.

You may know that our six year old, Lydia has been having seizures since December. Every month since then they have been coming at a steady rate of one or two per month. We've come to expect them. But this past month- in August- she had eleven.

We have been searching for months to find the specific causes for Lydia's seizures. We've gone to various doctors and had tests run. And we have learned something. Epilepsy is not exactly a disease. There is no "one size fits all" cure. Really, it is a reaction by the body- a warning cry- that can be caused by a host of things. So while various people are helped some specific fix-- an increase of magnesium; the elimination of allergens, the treatment of an infection and so on... that is just not the fix for everyone.

Ultimately-- God is on control and He has a plan.

We meet with a new Neurologist today at 3:30 pm Pacific time. We will be praying for clear direction, but most of all to be faithful in trial like Abraham. If you would like to pray with us, we would be blessed.

As my friend Wendy wrote me today:

God is always loving.

God is always kind.

And God is always in control.

Amen.

Whatever the outcome- whatever the direction- that is the truth we desire to cling to.

Many blessings to you!

CHOOSING CURRICULUM {first grade}

2011-08-17T01:57:00.000-07:00

KELLY ASKED:

Hello Rebecca,

I was wondering if you have your curriculum for the upcoming school year planned out? My hubby and I are VERY new to homeschooling and are always open to what other, like-minded, families are doing. Right now we only have 1 daughter of school age..she will be starting 1st grade - our other two are still little bity. We already feel a little bit overwhelmed about what to focus on and where to start. I did browse through your past curriculum posts - I was just wondering if you are still using much of the same stuff, or if you have changed things up a bit over the years?

Anyway. We hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and a fabulous SON-day! We look forward to hearing about your upcoming school year!

In His Name,
The Turner Family

___________________________________________

Hello Turner Family,

I sure hear you. There are so many curriculum options; so many varying views on the hows and whys of education; our own backgrounds and of course the desire to best equip our children for an unknown future. As all of these considerations tug at our minds we can feel completely overwhelmed and lost. Choosing a curriculum involves so much more than just... choosing a curriculum, doesn't it?

Isn't it a comfort to know that God knows the future (Is. 46:10) and is a very present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1)?

I absolutely want to share some specifics regarding curriculum choices for first grade, but please join me in first considering a few overarching ideas that just may eliminate a lot of the choices out there.

DETERMINING GOALS

Your most helpful tool in homeschooling is absolutely free- it is wisdom from God through prayer (James 1:5). As a husband and wife I would encourage you to pray together asking the Lord to give you wisdom to know where you should stand on the following issues and the boldness to carry these beliefs into your homeschool future.

1. WHO ARE YOU ARE EDUCATING FOR? I know it sounds like a "no-brainer" for a Christian to make their number one goal to educate their children for service to God, but as Robin Sampson shares in What Your Child Needs to Know When, the educational ideas we have grown up with really mirror those of the Ancient Greeks rather than the Ancient Hebrews. Your own background and the opinions of men may tempt you to question if your goals are too simplistic at times... too dated.

The goal of Ancient Greek Education (and in turn, the goal of the current public school system) is to prepare individuals to serve the state, while the goal of Ancient Hebrew Education was always to prepare individuals to serve God.

I would encourage you to determine your goals for education. If your goals are different than those in the public schools, don't be concerned if your curriculum looks different than theirs as well.

Nothing in education is neutral- that is a Greek idea.

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy

and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after

the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

- Colossians 2:8

2. WILL YOU SHELTER FROM EVIL? You will also need to decide if you plan to shelter your children from evil. Your stand on this issue will impact everything from curriculum to reading choices, to movies, music and so on.

Tom Eldridge points out in Safely Home:

The first conflict in recorded history was a battle over education.

In other words, there has been a war over knowledge that dates all the way back to the Garden of Eden. You will remember that Adam and Eve had the choice to walk in the knowledge and obedience of God; gaining only the knowledge He deemed best OR to take a different route; eat the forbidden fruit and know everything good AND evil.

As we prepare our children for their future we need to decide if we want them to be exposed to good OR to good and evil. I do not mean that we should shelter them from any conflict-- certainly conflict and consequence are for our instruction in the Scripture and in other godly books. What I am speaking against is the argument that our children should be exposed to evil (witchcraft, swearing, immorality) so they can become so accustomed to evil that it will not bother them in the future.

Does Scripture teach that we should learn to tolerate evil or flee from it?

I would have you wise unto that

which is good,

and simple concerning evil.

- Romans 16:19

Abhor what which is evil;

cleave to that which is good.

- Romans 12:9

3. WHAT WILL BE ESTEEMED AS A LITERARY CLASSIC IN YOUR HOME? You will need to decide what your family views as "classic" literature within your home. Will you defer to Philippians 4:8 or will you trust what tradition and the state school system call classics?

There is a long tradition in this country of resistance

to the wisdom of the Greeks: Thomas Paine,

Benjamin Franklin, and Noah Webster all judged

the classics to be of scant use.

- Learning from the Greeks, Commentary Magazine,

Valiunas, 1998/ Robin Sampson What Your Child

Needs to Know When, p.62

THE NITTY-GRITTY STUFF

Simply by deciding Who you are educating for; your view on sheltering from evil and whether or not you will embrace what the world calls a "classic" goes a long way in helping us to weed out what we don't want to cover, doesn't it?

What about what we would like to cover? If I were to start over with my first born in first grade I would likely choose the following:

1. My Father's World- Their created curriculum is sweet and Christ centered. We are loving their 1st grade reader Bible which is perfect for teaching little ones to have their own morning quiet time. They also sell resources created by other publishing companies. Those may need to be used with some care. One thing I like about My Father's World is that it is built to grow with the homeschooling family later combining lessons together with siblings. (BTW- half their profits go directly to Bible translation).

2. I would learn about the Charlotte Mason method and I would utilize websites like Ambleside which encourage Charlotte Mason methods including time outdoors, art, Bible and so on. I would skip the fairy tales and wait on the foreign language, but sweet picture books like James Harriott's Treasury for Children would be on my list of read alouds.

3. I would seek to develop a love for being read to and limit non-Christian videos. We love Cedermont Kids and Steve Green Hide Em In Your Heart.

4. I would also be sure they learned their Phonograms using flash cards (if you haven't had the opportunity to learn phonograms yet you may want to order the phonogram CD here) and teach them how to write just sitting side by side with a wipe off board. I would teach the formation of a letter a day.

5. And I would help them to learn simple math. We liked Rod and Staff for this age. I might even order a math CD (like this one) or play math games.

And I would just seek to enjoy them and teach them to enjoy being a part of our family. I hope you will relish these early years. It will go by so quickly...

Blessings friends,

____________________________

Please be sure to become a member of HSLDA and check their website for specific laws in your state.

SIMPLE {and unfancy}

2011-08-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which

anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens,

but just those that bring simple little pleasures,

following one another softly,

like pearls slipping off a string.

L. M. Montgomery

We have pretty simple tastes in our home. We enjoy our share of quiet days and basic routine. And although I know it is pretty unfancy of me-- the honest truth is that I really love paper plates.

I love them so much that I usually stock them right in my kitchen cabinet so we can use them all the time. Oh, we enjoy our fancy dinners too in which we go all out, but for the most part we like things that keep life simple-- and unfancy.

By the way, I really loved The Sacred Sandwich's version of Keep Calm and Carry On and simply printed it on photo paper to enjoy in my kitchen. Isn't that a fun use of color?

Another unfancy thing I do is have my children work. We don't have house cleaners or gardeners or anything like that. And I don't like to do everything myself- I am a firm believer in family working together and then resting together. Mom doesn't do anyone any favors by doing everything.

So especially when I feel overwhelmed in an area I simply ask the kids to give me a hand. I figure that helping with the cooking and cleaning is the best way to have children appreciate what is cooked and cleaned. And I think work prepares them for the future. Simple-- unfancy.

I believe in marketing to children. I suppose I should say-- I believe in marketing to my own children. Whether it's pulling together a book basket with the books I'd like them to notice this week or putting an activity I'd like them to do in plain sight, I try to find a way to put good things within their reach.

Don't you just love the vintage look of candy canisters filled with brightly colored treats? Me too, but since I really didn't want to promote candy each day I filled ours with markers and crafty things and made copies of some coloring pages I thought would encourage their hearts in the Lord. They get used a lot. Simple-- and unfancy.

Have any simple and unfancy marketing tricks you like to use at home?

The days get so warm that we seem to stay inside until the sun starts to go down. This is when we go out to play with the dogs, water the garden and jump on the trampoline.

I make sure to remind the older girls how important it was to them when big kids would spend time focusing on them and I have them play on the trampoline with the littler ones for a set time each evening. The little girls really look forward to that. Simple-- unfancy.

Our garden is very unfancy this time of year and not the least bit impressive. In fact, each day it seems to grow a little more wild. I could handle a few planter boxes with pathways between, but this year we kept the garden really simple- even choosing to grow fewer varieties of things. We primarily have strawberries and tomatoes. A few squash, peas and a couple of rows of popcorn. Simple-- and very unfancy.

Wishing you a very simple and unfancy day!

Blessings,

_________________________________

P.S. Remember my friend, Gabe? Well, she had her baby! We are so excited and thankful for the healthy arrival of this new little blessing. Feel free to pop over and enjoy the cuteness. : )

HAVE AN UNMOTIVATED STUDENT?

2011-08-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

A RECENT EMAIL

I LOVE your blog!! I stumbled upon it and spent almost a whole night going through all your posts... I admire and appreciate what you do!

I'm a new homeschool mommy. I'm half way through a kindergarten curriculum with my 5 year old. She turned 5 the end of January and we have been taking it easy realizing that I will not start her in "kindergarten" until this coming school year.

My question is what do I do when she has no motivation? I've been seeing it lately where she knows how to do something but sloppily slouches over and squirms not wanting to do it. Some days shes just fine but other days it's a fight between her and I.

I've tried making her rest in her room because of her attitude but then she just gets away with it and doesn't need to do school. She is young, but what can I do so that next year when we do start officially it will go smoothly? Any help I'd appreciate!

Thank you!
Jenn

Thanks so much Jenn. I love talking to moms like you!

You know, determining the cause of the symptoms you are describing can certainly be a little tricky.

From your note I get the sense that the lack of motivation/ obedience seems to be isolated to school time and not a continual testing of authority or unwillingness to obey. Your goal will be to try to determine if that is the case. : )

If you find that your daughter is diligent and obedient in other areas, in other words this is not simply a training issue, then you might want to consider looking into biological reasons for her lack of motivation. Dianne Craft, MA, CNHP has found that:

If you find that your unmotivated learner also has difficulty tying her shoes, with letter reversal (after you have spent at least six months teaching letters), riding a bike or skipping you may have a really gifted kid with a little "glitch" in crossing over her midline. This is repairable, but does need a little help.

Or if your daughter does her schoolwork perfectly one day, but then another day she can't, she may have something as simple as a dairy allergy.

In other words, while character is certainly an issue to address when that is the problem, we also don't want to ignore what could be a biological issue that could be easily repaired.

Sometimes it may not be biological at all, but simply that our expectations for seat work are a bit high. Like I said, this is a little tricky.

We do want to gently parent as we prayfully focus on the long-term goals of a love for Christ and a love of learning.

I asked my good friend Dana to allow me to interview her on this topic of motivation in kindergarten. Dana is an inspiration to me. She loves the Lord and has a real common sense way about her. I pray the Lord will give you clarity and encouragement as Dana shares her experience and advice with us.

MOTIVATION IN KINDERGARTEN-- An Interview

Q. Hello Dana, would you share with us a little about yourself including how many kiddos you are currently homeschooling?

A. Sure. I am currently homeschooling 4 children: Three sons ages 14, 12, 11 and our daughter age 8 and we just completed our 7th year of homeschooling.

Q. In your experience, what would you expect from a little one at kindergarten level?

A. Homeschooling a kindergartner doesn't take very much time out of the day and doesn't require much seat work. Five is young to expect too much.

We keep seat work at a minimum as I am firm believer that kindergarten is a time of continued play and exploration.

I would suggest looking at your goals and finding creative ways to meet them. Parent-directed educational play is a good thing. I will often write down goals even for my older kids and then list creative ways to learn the skills.

Q. Dana, I know that you have had some experience with a non-motivated learner. What avenues would you consider for a child who was a difficulty focusing?

A. First, I'd consider what she is eating. Do you see a pattern in her ability to concentrate depending on what she ate the past hour or so? Even a simple glass of juice can send a kid into a tail-spin. Food reaction’s can range from subtle to severe.

Next, I would recommend listening to Dianne Craft. She has a fantastic website about biological behaviors. I had great success with my then 7 year old when he had trouble concentrating. A generally obedient kid, he just couldn't focus.

Per her suggestion, he took daily supplements (vitamins and EFAs) and within a week I saw an improvement in his ability to concentrate.

Dianne is a former homeschool mom who has 25 years' experience teaching children who struggle with learning. She has both a bachelor's and mater's degree in Special Education and is currently serving as HSLDA's special needs consultant.

Finally, I would also consider any character training you may need to tackle before the fall. Do you have a bouncy child who thinks better on the move? Decide when you need her to be still and when it’s no big deal. For example, when you are reading to her, have her sit quietly listening to you read a book or playing with a toy for a time at the table or on the rug. Try puzzles, tangrams or simple board games.

Work on activities that require concentration but don't require sitting still. I often remind my young ones they can stand at the table to do their work, even kneel on a chair as long as they can show me they are listening..

Q. What would you consider your primary goals for the kindergarten year?

A. 1. To investigate God’s creation and develop a sense of wonder of God’s world

2. Follow through on simple chores.

3. Wash and dress themselves (if they don’t already.)

4. Be ‘can do’ kids. Not be afraid to try new things or learn new skills.

5. Self-control, both verbal and physical

6. To play hard. Run, jump, swim, bike ride …

7. Memory work built around play: poetry, scripture, facts.

Q. What do you wish you would have known when you were just beginning the homeschool journey?

A. Everything must begin with seeking God first. Even what seems simple or commonsense, should first be put before the Lord to ask for His guidance, His will.

There are seasons of intense academic learning and seasons of not.

Mama must take care of herself. Eat healthy, sleep, and get regular exercise. God does not ask us to die on the homeschooling hill. I don’t want to just survive I want to thrive and that can only happen if I take time to take care of myself.

Ask your husband for his opinions and thoughts even if he isn’t involved on the day to day decision making or grind of homeschooling. I am still amazed at my husband’s wisdom when I think I see the whole picture but he has another take.

Q. What are your favorite resources for this age?

A. All About Spelling, A Reason for Writing, small dry erase white board, art supplies, puzzles, music learning cds (memory work put to music). Math-U-See, and a great booklist like Ambleside.

Thank you so much Dana. You can visit Dana at her blog: The Sunny Side of the Room

For those of you who have kindergartners this year, to follow are some additional posts we have published related to this age:

Peace and Growth in Kindergarten
Planning for Kindergarten
Starting the Homeschool Journey

May you be blessed!

WINTON CD GIVEAWAY! {you'll want this!}

2011-07-22T01:47:00.000-07:00

Looking for a new CD that is upbeat, God honoring and for the whole family? Then you'll want to enter to win a FREE WINTON CD.

The new CD is just out and our family has been listening to it- alot. The Winton's music is not only extreemly well done and encouraging- it makes our kids bounce and clap as we drive down the road which is really fun to watch.

The Wintons are dear personal friends who encourage and inspire us in many ways. A little about this father and son band:

"Jesse and Cody have won several major awards for their mandolin and banjo picking, including ﬁrst and third places respectively in the 2011 California State picking championships, open adult division. Randy is guitarist and lead singer for the band, and his easy humor and loving interaction with his sons is evidence of the reward of a fatherʼs investment in the lives of his children.” ~Adapted from the liner notes by Carmon Friedrich

We love this new album and we want to give one away to you (see below for the rules).

When the Wintons aren't performing musically, they are working on a powerful documentary about adoption. Recently they have been traveling around the country interviewing people who have been touched by adoption- either having adopted children into their home or being adopted themselves.

Folks like: R.C. Sproul, Jr., Kevin Swanson, Beall Phillips, Stacy McDonald, and Jay and Kay Valenti (their family was featured in "Return of the Daughters") as well as many other wonderful families who are lesser-known but just as fantastic!

To enter to win the new Winton CD:

1. Post a comment here (with e-mail address or other way to contact you)

2. Check out their movie site and let me know what interests you about their new project (leave another comment)

3. Like either the Wintons on Facebook or Rescued on Facebook - or both! (leave another comment for each one)

I'll keep the contest going for one week!

Thanks friends.

YOUTH GROUPS {yes... or no?}

2011-07-18T22:57:00.000-07:00

What are your thoughts on church youth groups? What about Sunday School? Are they Biblical? Does that even matter?

My brother in law, a former youth pastor, sent me this link and asked me to share it with you:

DIVIDED, THE MOVIE

For a limited time you can watch the full length feature for free. Personally, I had to watch it twice to really hear what they were saying.

I'd encourage you to watch it with your spouse. Then I'd love to hear what you think...

Blessings to you!

WHAT WILL BE REMEMBERED?

2011-07-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Our family has needed to attend a lot of funerals lately- three in the past few months.

At the most recent one, I was struck with something. The lady who had passed into eternity had what seemed to be an endless stream of people desiring to eulogize her life. In fact, the pastor had to finally stop the praises so the service could finally come to an end.

And in the longest funeral service we had witnessed yet, each person who spoke said basically the same thing.

They praised this woman for making them feel loved by baking cookies, for keeping her home in a way that brought honor to their family and for making them meals.

I think in her earlier years she did have some career success. But that wasn't the focus on that day. The focus was on how her sacrifices made them feel loved and cherished. They missed the way she made them all feel like better people because she cared for them in these practical, homemaking ways.

We have been taught that we should spend our time campaigning for women's rights; that we should look for our successes outside the home and that we should look out for number one- even if that means leaving behind the husband and children of our youth.

Lies.

I came home and baked cookies for my kids.

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is
profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds
the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms
to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has
no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among
the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and
dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs
of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children
arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive,
and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her
praise at the city gate.

~Proverbs 31:10-31

Blessings as you strive for the beauty that does not fade.

READY FOR A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT?

2011-07-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

READY FOR A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT?

I have shared before how blessed I am to fellowship with an amazing group of ladies. Our family has commuted an hour for the past five years to fellowship at Central Valley Presbyterian Church (CVP) in Ceres, California.

That may sound a little crazy, but I can tell you that it has been worth the drive. When we found leadership and other families that re-inforce what we are doing all week long-- an hours commute seemed a small price to pay.

Recently, in a bittersweet decision, my husband has decided that the Lord would have our family support a new work our church is starting- a church plant in the Elk Grove, California area.

I hope I am clear that our family is not leaving CVP for any negative reasons. We are simply joining a new work CVP is starting in the Sacramento area to create a bit of what we have been driving so far to enjoy.

Our family still feels very much a part of the Central Valley Presbyterian body and are blessed to participate in the various ministries they offer.

We hope you will enjoy...

A DAY OF ENCOURAGEMENT

If you are in the Modesto area and are ready for a little encouragement, please feel the above invitation is for YOU.

Join us for inspiring messages and sweet fellowship as we are encouraged in the promises of God! Come on out Saturday, August 13 and hear women share biblical encouragement to refresh us in the role God has for us.

Topics include:

Peace and Promises

Hospitality

Homeschooling the Age Spectrum

Organic Gardening- Even without the Space

High School, Transcripts and College

Creative Non-academic Activities

Great Letter Writing

The cost is only $5.00 and covers lunch. Be sure to RSVP to cvpwomen@gmail.com before July 24 to be entered in a prize drawing.

Interested? CLICK HERE to see a previous Women's Encourgement Day post.

WILL YOU BE AT THE MODESTO HOMESCHOOL CONFERENCE?

Some of you may not be able to attend the Women's Encouragement Day, but may be at the Modesto Homeschool Conference (VHE). If so, please look for the booth in the corner of the exhibit hall calling all stressed out moms!

The ladies from CVP will be there to serve you.

Need a cozy spot to sit and put your feet up?

A bite of chocolate or a free water bottle?

A massage?

An encouraging ear or word?

Come on over! You'll gain the refreshment you need to refocus and get back in the game!

While you are there, be sure to sign up for the email list to get connected and stay connected. The ladies will let you know about other events you may be interested in. And if you sign up for the email list, you might win a family photo from little 'ol me. : )

Again, everything at this booth is free of charge. They simply just want to bless ladies and encourage us as we minister within the family.

In His Joy and Service,

_____________________

For those of you in the Sacramento, California area who may be interested in a family integrated, reformed church feel free to e-mail me at: rebecca.teamjnz@gmail.com I'd love to connect with you and let you know more about this new work.

*** PLEASE FORGIVE MY SILENCE. I have not been able to leave comments in the comment section for the past few days. Did you leave a comment and find it isn't here? I'm sorry about that. I value your comments and hope this is something we can fix shortly. ***

PARENTING- THE EASY WAY!

2011-07-06T02:25:00.000-07:00

THAT AIN'T EASY

I typed out the above quote, printed it out and have it posted by my computer.

I love this reminder. I need this reminder. For some reason it is just too easy to lose perspective and spend time aiming toward the wrong goals.

Maybe it's planning for the new school year but somehow around this time each year I seem to find myself really thinking about my goals as a parent. And I have to ask myself: What are you aiming for? Happiness or holiness?

Not that we can't be happy. No way! We are called to be joyful! But what is our goal and where is true happiness found?

As we aim into the future, how do you see your spiritual condition- and your childrens- in 20 years with the course you are taking today? These are the thoughts that are always challenging me.

And I'll tell ya, knowing what is right isn't so hard. Following through- well that ain't easy!

I feel your pain. It's a struggle to do what we know to be right at times. To choose to deal head on with sin; to resist the urge to "credit card parent" and to seek to live a holy life. But maybe it's a lack of faith (speaking personally) or not really thinking through the fact that God wants my best and knows true happiness is found in holiness.

THAT WAS EASY

You've seen the Staples button- you can hear "that was easy" in your head. Isn't that marketing campaign brilliant- because in the hustle and bustle of life we are all in the search of easy, right?

What concerns me is that there are some things in parenting that seem easy for the moment... but are they really? Like:

DEALING WITH SIN HEAD ON

It sounds easy- to buy into the philosophy that you have to choose your battles with your children. Why is it that...

I bet we won't regret- dealing with each issue? Taking the time and exerting the effort to help our children to see what is motivating their own hearts in negative situations; taking the time to pray and encourgage them that we are on their team and seeking to bring them to true repentance? I am a young-ish mom and have only one teenager, but I guess I believe that if we choose to take the time to show our children their sin, then maybe they will see their need for Christ.

God tells us that: "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10

CHOOSING NOT TO "CREDIT CARD" PARENT

I've shared in the past that I believe there is a danger in what I call "credit card parenting." Being too busy or simply putting off correcting our children (and boy is this a hard one for me at times!) racks up a debt we hope we will never have to pay.

It sounds easy- to look the other way when we see selfishness, bad attitudes, or have a child that seems to want to butt heads. So why is it that...

I bet we won't regret- taking the time to cool off. Praying with our spouse for the heart of our child. Going to our child with a spirit of grace, seeing ourselves on a rescue mission for their very souls and taking the time to woo and win them to God's best? How ever many times it takes... each week. : )

LIVING A HOLY LIFE

I know...

It sounds easy- to be just a little too tired to open God's Word or to choose to watch videos with our brains turned off. And please trust me when I say that when I point one finger out, I have four fingers pointing back at me!

My husband works nights. It is my job to be "the heavy;" to get everyone ready for bed and Bible. You don't know how lazy I would like to be. And sometimes am! But God... right? I really believe (and tell myself) that:

I bet we won't regret- reading God's Word with our children. His Word- even without commentary- is POWERFUL. So even if I could only read a bit in each day, I would trust that would have a significant impact on their souls. But I bet we also won't regret talking through the many issues and situations in our lives in light of God's Word; allowing them to see how His Word moves and motivates our lives and how it is the final authority for us.

It may seem off topic, but I hope you will humor me... I was thinking the other day about:

THE MAKING OF ARROWS

We always hear the verse:

"Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth."

~Psalm 127:4

And I think in our modern age, we might not really think about a warrior shaping and preparing an arrow for battle because if I needed an arrow, I'd drive to WalMart and buy one- done! I like instant (is there something faster than a microwave yet?!).

But as much as I wish it was, child training is just not instant.

Like the training of our children,
the process of building an arrow is deliberate; time consuming and must be done well before the time of battle.

A warrior preparing an arrow would scrape all the rough bark from each potential rod; knowing each one must be as straight as possible to be relied upon in battle.

Every arrow head would also need to be refined by rubbing and scraping it until it was transformed into a sharp point.

And then feathers would need to be added in just a way as to ensure straight flight.

The warrior must have a vision for the final product as he is preparing each one. And no... it wouldn't be instant.

I feel like there is something there to encourage my mind as I continue the arduous process of arrow building. And that maybe- parenting the easy way really might be to take the extra effort today.

May you be blessed my friends.

With love and effort in the Lord,

SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN WITH GRANDMA

2011-06-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

Tom's mom came out to stay with us this week. She is the quintessential grandma- helping the girls with crochet and teaching us to can strawberry jam. She bought us the canning supplies years ago, but to be honest I was pretty sure I would do it wrong and kill us all. So... I never tried.

Mom showed us step by step how to do it. And really- it wasn't that bad.

First, she bought the ripest of berries- just picked that day. Then she explained that measuring your sugar is very important to the setting process. So we measured. And then Hailey spilled a little. *smile*

We washed and chopped, stirred and poured until all the work was done. Then we sampled the berry goodness. The girls love it on bread and Tom loves it on ice cream.

We all had such a good time. And we hope she comes out again real soon!

Blessings to you!

TIME TO BREATHE {a quick trip away}

2011-06-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,

we must carry it with us or we find it not."

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Last weekend our family zipped away for a quick Anniversary Celebration and Father's Day rest. It was much needed I can tell you.

Sickness, a death in the family and various other struggles made us all feel a little disconnected from one another. It was wonderful to have no distractions- if only for a little while. It gave us time to stop and breathe.

Celebrating 20 years of marriage! We hiked the kids

down to a little creek area... me in flip flops.

I'm quite the hiker I can assure you!

Tom surprised me with a box of gourmet cupcakes. Aren't they cute?

Each one was decorated in a unique way. The base- Chocolate,

Red velvet, Carrot and well, more chocolate of course!

We stayed in for dinner (we are such homebodies) and did some BBQ'ing.

Isn't this apron great? Faith made it for Father's Day using iron on letters.

Tom loved it and kept referring to himself in the third person as the

BBQ King. Made me laugh.

We spent a whole day just by the pool. Flip flops, hotel towels

(that I didn't need to wash) time to play and enjoy the nice weather.

The kids made this video. And to be quite honest- they crack me up! This is all them- they filmed it, edited it and all. ;)

Sigh. Deep breath. That was nice. Okay, back to reality. Only- a little refreshed.

Blessings to you!

IMPERFECT PERFECT

2011-06-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful."

~Annette Funicello

Life is not perfect. It is made up of many moments that are far from it. But aren't they somehow imperfectly perfect?

Tufts of hair landing in the eyes of a frowny baby face who isn't getting her way- again. Time to correct and hide a smile at the same time. Imperfect perfect.

Being sick for days-- completely stuck in bed. And yet the kids are good. And there is time to consider bigger things. Imperfect perfect.

Telling my kids my all time most embarrasing moment (for the third time in a weekend- as if they've never heard it) just so they can laugh at the twelve year old version of me. Imperfect perfect.

Asking my daughter what to do if a fire alarm goes off in a building only to hear her reply confidently: "Stop, drop and roll!" Ya- she is a goner. Imperfect perfect.

Watching my husband break every child labor law; forcing the kids to work outside in the heat. "They'll appreciate it later" he states confidently. Imperfect perfect.

Waiting far longer than we planned outside of Starbucks while the kids watch their daddy share the gospel and pray with a lost young man. Well, that one just somehow felt perfect- but I didn't have a tract to hand him. Imperfect perfect.

I pray that you will enjoy the imperfect perfect moments of today! Life will never be perfect, but it can be wonderful.

With joy,

If you are struggling as a mom today, be sure to read this article. It is fantastic.

SWEET BOOK GIVEAWAY!

2011-06-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

Does your family enjoy the faith building products by Lamplighter Publishing? We sure do!

And this week our good friend, Gabe, is giving away one of their books at her site! She's become an affiliate of Lamplighter Publishing and has a lovely copy of Teddy's Buttons to share with us!

Sweet treat!

We love all resources that lead little hearts home, and Lamplighter books really fit the bill. We often use them as gifts for special occasions to allow the girls to begin to build their own libraries.

If you haven't heard of the fantastic books at Lamlighter or would just love to win a free one, pop on over and leave her a comment right away! The contest is only going on through the end of this week.

FREE LAMPLIGHTER BOOK GIVE AWAY.

Gabe and I getting the chance to catch up a bit.

Gabe and her family are a real encouragement to us. In fact, they were just here for a visit this weekend and brought a lot of sunshine and smiles to our home.

Their Jane and our Hailey-cheese!!! And cheese pizza too.

My nephew Joshua and two of Gabe's boys. So fun to have sweet boys around!

Little treats and fancy cups just turn into sweet tea parties when girl friends gather, don't they?

We love games that all ages can play together. Have you seen Headbanz? This one is a lot of fun and children don't even need to know how to read to play so it really opens up the age range. It's recommended by speech therapists and sold at Target and Amazon.

My sweet sister, Elizabeth, leading the littles in a different game. Here she is reading "pizza, pizza pie!" in her best Italian accent to set it up.

May you be blessed!

sun + rain

2011-05-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! And while there are plenty of things I am behind on- regardless of how many days I work until I am exhausted- the Lord is reminding me that often the most important things I tackle are invisible.

Like the underground roots of a plant, they remain unseen. Immersing myself and my children in God's Word, memorizing Scripture and applying it, speaking kindly, prayer. Seeking to hear my children and to know them.

Invisible.

Unseen.

Many times failed.

But they work together to create the tiny hairlike root system that gives support, strength and hope for the future. That underground system that requires water. And weeding. And tending.

Isn't God good? He helps us- because we couldn't do it without Him. And He 'gets the glory' I can hear my grandma's voice echo.

I love this video by Francis Chan. Hope you will take a few minutes to view it.

Blessings to you!

P.S. Did you know those fantastic Doorpost folks have a blog? You'll want to check it out!

Organize it Simply- Kid's Closet

2011-05-04T21:37:00.001-07:00

All five of our girls share one room (I know that sounds a little crazy and crowded, but really- they love it!).

The only thing is, no matter how hard I try to keep things organized I end up needing to RE-organize their closet at least once every few months. Actually, that's not true. It probably needs to be reorganized every month... but I get to it every few.

Does this striketh a chord with anyone?

With the seasons changing again, I had another reason to be in there- pulling out the bulky sweaters and unpacking spring and summer wear. And I think I even found a way to keep the closet from getting so out of order.

EVERYDAY CLOTHES Since I was in there anyway, I decided to change the organization a bit. For everyday clothes I decided to add these daily organizers (hanging cubbies) for each girl.

My thought is, they will have an outfit a day all clean and ready to go. As I put away laundry I can load the cubbies with what I want, then I have a helper who hangs up the rest in the other closet (to follow). It really helps me to easily see what each girl has and doesn't have. In my mind, an outfit a day is plenty of clothing. Beyond that we just have more than we need. These cubbies help me keep the bare minimum.

You will see that Hailey realized I was about to take a photo and zipped right in to model her fancy attire- a bright hat with single matching mitten; homemade doll apron and an "It's my Birthday" button just in case someone is thinking about handing out presents. Thank you Hailey! :) The cubbies are from WalMart and are under $7.

The hairbows and headbands are organized into sturdy vases and a mirror from the thrift store hangs where the girls can finish their outfits.

SUNDAY BEST The other closet now holds their church outfits, their backpacks, hats and jackets. I had previously kept the two older girls in one closet and the younger three in the other, but this simplifies things for me.

Pictured above, Hailey's Sunday purse which carries her little books and do-dads found at the Dollar Tree Store.

I'd love to hear your creative kid's closet ideas!

May you be blessed,

I Don't Want to Obey You!

2011-05-02T20:24:00.000-07:00

Lydia (age 6) to Hailey (age 3):

Lydia: Hailey, aren't you supposed to eat that string cheese at the table?

Hailey: No...

Lydia: Don't you want to obey Mama and Pa?

Hailey: Ya, but I don't want to obey you!

When I heard the above interaction, it struck me a little funny. And then I thought, "That is typical though, isn't it?" It's often the same way in the big church.

Here Lydia was faithfully reminding Hailey of the rule that she is required to eat at the table and Hailey was rebelling against it- saying that she wanted to obey me... but not Lydia.

Of course, taking Lydia's counsel would be obeying me. It was my rule after all.

Do you think believers are receptive when people approach them with God's Word and remind them of the commands of God? Have you ever tried to correct someone privately and been attacked for it?

I think over time we learn to shy away from correcting those in sin because we fear their response. But in obedience we are to correct- and leave the repentance up to God.

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged.

With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,

And they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

2 Timothy 2:24-25

Preach the world; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

2 Timothy 4:2

Did you see these brave sisters addressing the issue of modesty in a recent film being marketed to Christians? It's a good read.

Blessings!

Daily Miracles

2011-04-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

"Wherever you are- be all there."

-Jim Elliot, 1927-1956

Isn't that a difficult task at times- being completely where we are? It seems I have to make a conscious choice not to be divided from my family even when we're all together. Laptops, smart phones and the busyness of life tempt us to be half available, half aware and over-booked.

I really do value a slow paced life, filled with quality time with my family and being at home. And so, often when I think about pulling the laptop out to write or to be inspired, I think of Jim Elliot's quote and I keep the technology tucked away for a little while longer.

Of course, some busyness is out of our hands.

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways," says the Lord. ~Isaiah 55:8

I love that verse. In context it is speaking about God's mercy- if the wicked will forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts and will turn to the Lord, God will have mercy and freely pardon him- for His thoughts and ways are not like ours (Isaiah 55:7-8). And yet that truth relates to so many circumstances in life, doesn't it? His thoughts and ways are not ours.

We have spent much time lately bringing our little red-headed six year old to the doctor for various tests and observations. MRI's, EEG's, EKG's... I've learned the ins and outs of more medical acronyms recently than a Mama ever hopes to!

Everyone is seeking to get to the bottom of Lydia's seizures- and all the while God is in control.

The amazing thing to me is the peace that we experience just as we need it. And the wonder- the continual wonder and awe- that I sense as I see trials and know that God is at work, causing all things to work together for our good.

And we know that God causes ALL THINGS

to work together for good, to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose.

~Romans 8:28

His thoughts and ways are not like mine.

Our God is a God of miracles! The very truth that He has the ability and will to transform the circumstances I would label negative into good- is a daily miracle He does in the lives of His children. I know that I have often taken this for granted. But as I wait on Him- I am awed.

Awed by the remembrance of too many times when I would have chosen an easier path- certainly one that involved less sweat and trouble- only to see in hindsight that He used these pressing times to teach our hearts to trust Him more. There are so many occasions that I would not have chosen, but even now on this side of eternity can see His hand was working something for our good.

Barnes notes on the Bible says of the ALL THINGS working in Romans 8:28:

"They shall cooperate; they shall mutually contribute to our good.

They take off our affections from this world;

they teach us truth about our frail, transitory, and lying condition,

they lead us to look to God for support;

and to heaven for a final home...

this has been the experience of all saints;

and at the end of life they have been able to say

it was good for them to be afflicted.

Praying you are rejoicing in God's daily miracles. He is so good!

With joy,

___________________
Photos: The girls at an Air Field in their Navy outfits.