Take Flight

"Then Sings My Soul - Book 3" by Robert J. Morgan

2012-01-24T18:27:00.001-06:00

I grew up in a church that really knew how to sing the hymns. Over time that church transitioned to more contemporary music. In fact, (and don't laugh) as a teen I was part of the church's contemporary choral group that performed musicals at other churches. This wasn't "your parents' choir." If I could find a picture, perhaps I'd embarass myself and share with you a sampling of what we looked like all dressed in matching outfits. :-) Then again...perhaps not. You can get a sampling of the type of music we sang here.

I remember going to Sandi Patty, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and other concerts. "Those were the days," as they would say.

The hymns begun to be sung less frequently, but were still included somewhat regularly, mostly as a "concession" I think to the older members of the congregation. As an organist, I still enjoyed them.

Early in our homeschool journey, our support group began a monthly hymn sing, which continues to this day. The family-integrated church we now attend sings mostly hymns with an occasional smattering of choruses.

In our family worship, we regularly pull out the hymnals we salvaged from the church I grew up in and each of our children have their select favorites which we sing over and over and over again. They have quite a few of them memorized. Katie will even choose to put on a CD of hymns at bedtime over anything else.

As a homeschool mom, I love that the words teach the deep truths of the faith in a way that truly gets them into our hearts and minds.

Robert Morgan's book, "Then Sings My Soul: The Story of our Songs," is the third in a series of books about the great hymns of the faith. (There is also a special edition focusing on Christmas and Easter and other beloved hymns, and there is a book of meditations on the hymns.)

The author takes us through time, beginning with the songs penned by the authors of Scripture, through the Medieval, German and English hymns and finally arriving at the wonderful hymns still being penned today by songwriters such as Keith and Kristen Getty.

He ends this wonderful book with an appeal to not let the richness of our Christian heritage be lost, and suggests how one might incorporate hymns into private worship.

This book introduced me to some new hymns I'd never heard before and renewed my love of others that I'd grown up singing but had not heard in quite a while. Below is a sampling of some of the hymns mentioned in the book.

Hymns by Trophy and Barb Simeon on Grooveshark

**My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for a copy of this book to review.

God-Sized Hole

2012-01-07T09:28:00.000-06:00

“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace?

This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself”

-- Blaise Pascal, Pensees

"Surprised by Oxford" by Carolyn Weber

2012-01-04T21:36:00.003-06:00

After reading Tim Challies review of "Surprised by Oxford," I was pleased to discover it offered by the BookSneeze program of Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Then it came, and it was a hefty 455 pages and chock full of quotes from Homer and Burns and Milton and Yeats...and I thought...wow, this is a bit too intellectual for me.

So I put it off and put it off.

But between Christmas and New Year's I picked it up again ... and I was pleasantly surprised.

Yes, Carolyn Weber has been a Romantic Literature Professor. She has read things I will likely never, ever read.

(Though, when I was a young mother of only one child, I would peruse the library shelves for classic such as Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Death Comes to the Archbishop, and other such titles. It was easy to spot them because they were part of a collection, so I just started at the A authors and proceeded along through the alphabet...okay, part way through the alphabet. As a homeschool mom of four, I now spend more time reading Dr. Seuss and Henry and Mudge. [grin] Thanks to having a high school student, I've been more recently able to indulge in Ivanhoe, The Scarlet Letter, Scottish Chiefs, and others. Needless to say, my interest in more substantial reading has been piqued again.)

"Surprised by Oxford" is, well, a surprising story of coming to Christ. Perhaps for some it would not be surprising. For someone raised in the faith, someone in the group Carolyn says should not take their heritage for granted, I was ignorant (shamefully so) of the intellectual struggle that making a decision for Christ could be.

Her journey is enlightening to someone who never really had a struggle, never really had all those questions. This is surely what makes her faith so strong, and what can very likely result in the faith of one raised in the church so weak. It would do us all well to struggle, to contemplate, to wrestle. She is encouraged and challenged by other intellectuals in her circle to go deep, something we all would be wise to do.

This book is a great read for those raised in the church (to help us understand what goes through the mind of those who don't come as easily to the decision as perhaps we did), to those who struggled before surrendering to the Good News (as an encouragement and reinforcement of the decision), and to those still exploring Christianity (as a clarification of so many issues...and non-issues).

My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for a copy of this book to review.

The Gift Not Asked For

2012-01-02T21:35:00.002-06:00

Does your family write up gift lists? My husband's family likes to take some time on Thanksgiving Day to have everyone write up "wish lists" which are then photocopied and distributed so that gift buyers can purchase a gift that will be desired and appreciated.

Not all families do this as formally. My mom and uncle will call and ask me what the kids would like. At times I ask the kids for suggestions; at times I just provide a suggestion of my own.

Parents-to-be and about-to-be-married couples create gift registries in the hopes of getting the items they want or need.

We've struggled with creating "wish lists" because we try not to encourage our children to have an "I want" attitude during the holidays. We also try to give gifts with "meaning," rather than the latest pop CD, clothing that is too tight or low cut, or just a gift card that might be spent on something we wouldn't necessarily approve of.

Wish lists tend to generate an expectation that one will be given what he wants. Let's face it, a child can be handed a present and can often tell by the shape and size and weight of the box that it contains exactly what they'd asked for. This also can generate a selfish disappointment (and crying and temper fits) when the item desired is not received.

Admittedly, coming up with my own gift suggestion for someone is often a dangerous task. We have at times succeeded in giving gifts that generate squeals of delight, smiles and grateful hugs. But we have also given gifts (probably more often) that are not appreciated and that we have found laying in a pile somewhere on a later visit (gifts such as games to encourage family time or good books to encourage spiritual growth).

Just a week ago, we celebrated receiving the greatest gift we could imagine -- the gift of a Savior. But it was not the gift that so many expected. Even though prophecy was pretty clear, over time, people had come to desire something else...someone else. They came to believe they needed an earthly king, one who would conquer their oppressors, one who would set them free from the tyranny of the Romans.

Have you ever received a gift that you had absolutely no expectation of receiving, one that was a complete surprise, one that was exactly what you needed at that exact moment? Have you ever had someone know you so intimately and so deeply that they could choose the "perfect" gift?

Carolyn Weber, in her book "Surprised by Oxford," which I am currently reading, states: "Maybe...the gift is so profound, such a surprise, precisely because I did not ask."

What the Jews expected was not what they received. But He WAS (and IS) exactly what was needed.

Still today, many go through life thinking the next "perfect" job, the next "perfect" house, the next "perfect" spouse, the next "perfect" car is all they need to make them happy. Sadly, there is never the perfect anything. But there is the Perfect Gift...the Perfect Person.

He is exactly what we need, even if He isn't on our wish list.

He is the answer to the questions we may not even know we have.

He is the goal to strive for in all our goal-setting for the new year.

He is the summit of the mountain we're climbing, the finish line at the end of the race.

He is the Beginning and the End.

He is the All in All.

If you've received The Gift, don't limit your appreciation of it to a couple weeks each December. Daily thank the One who chose and paid for and gave this most precious gift.

If you haven't received The Gift, go HERE to learn more.

"Growing Up Amish" (Ira Wagler)

2011-12-31T21:39:00.000-06:00

"Growing Up Amish" is a memoir by Ira Wagler of his own struggle to find freedom...not just freedom from the rules of the Amish life, but freedom to believe in a God of love and grace.

This book can teach us all an important lesson. We need to be so careful in our child training to not make Christianity a mere set of rules for acceptable behavior. I was struck by the lack of a real relationship with Christ in the lives of those with whom Ira grew up. It is no wonder he sought to break all those rules, suffered immense guilt and fear of damnation, and continued to return in an attempt to "earn" his salvation by following the rules. Yes, there is a healthy fear of God. But grace and "adoption as sons" and the reconciliation and relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ was just not part of the equation.

This is a good book and was a pretty quick read for me, but offered some opportunities for contemplation, too.

Perspective

2011-12-19T10:08:00.000-06:00

God is giving me a big dose of perspective this year. He has used the following two news reports, among other things, to remind me that .... you know what, I don't really have it that bad. Yes, things are rough and have been for a while. The recession is NOT OVER, despite what they'd like you to believe. Things are NOT IMPROVING and I truly believe we are in a downward spiral.

Add to that the news just received yesterday that R. C. Sproul, Jr.'s wife, Denise, has gone home to be with the Lord after battling cancer, leaving eight children without their mother. And there is the continual influx of prayer requests from family and friends regarding health issues, concerns with children, and various other difficulties.

It would be easy to go to one extreme or the other.........

to either dull my senses with an attempt to buy more, decorate more, do more...

or to sink into despair and thus ignore the Hope that only comes
through Christ and the incredible gift we have been
given through the Father's amazing generosity and love.

For me, it is usually a combination of these two, if that is possible. I am often so overwhelmed at the enormity of the need and also frustrated by my lack of resources and not knowing how to best help, that I tend to just...well, put it out of my mind, look the other way, ignore it and go on with my own life.

Instead, I feel God instructing me to have the proper perspective.

First of all, I need to be thankful.

I could be dissatisfied (and honestly often am), with the little 2-bedroom flat in a city and neighborhood I don't want to be in, the small bedrooms, the drafty windows that cause a spike in the heating costs this time of year, the tub faucet that continues to leak, etc., etc., etc. INSTEAD, I should be grateful that I have a home, graciously provided rent-free by family that keeps us safe and warm and dry.
I could grumble at the fact that a change in hubby's job situation means he'll go from 3 weeks vacation to 1 week vacation this year and that he didn't get an increase in pay. INSTEAD, I should be grateful that he has a job and that insurance will take effect in a week or two instead of the regular 3 month waiting period and that he will now have paid sick days (which he's never had before).
I could rail at the clutter the kids leave, the messes they don't clean up, the chores that never end...INSTEAD, I should be grateful for every moment of fun and play and creativity that those messes signify, every crumb of abundant food that is dropped on the floor, every plate piled in the sink that indicates a full belly, the pile of laundry caused from an (over)abundance of clothes.
I could be frazzled at the pile of gifts still to wrap and the gifts still to hand-craft in this final week, and I could be dissatisfied that I couldn't get everyone what I really wanted to get them. INSTEAD, I should be grateful that God has given me deals to take advantage of (yay, coupons! and Swagbucks! [grin]) and free shipping and creative ideas shared by other bloggers for "made with love" gifts and just enough money from craft fair sales to get just enough.

And I can be especially grateful for children who are excited when they can pick dollar store gifts for each other and just as graciously receive dollar store gifts. (And for the seven year old who lugged this big log in the house and has been "whittling" it on my living room floor, attempting to make a gift for me while, um, making a big mess.)

And I am just as grateful when these children receive a monetary gift from a neighbor and, as mom thinks, "Oh, dad's working late, we can order pizza for dinner tonight," they holler, "Yay! Put it in the Mexico mission trip jar."

Second, I need to take action...some action, thoughtful action, even small action. Because God doesn't expect me to fix the world's problems, He just expects me to "bloom where I'm planted" and impact the lives of those He has brought me into contact with.

So, I will:

continue (resume what I'd started but let slip in all the busyness of late) my gratefulness journal, taking time to notice and be thankful for all the wonderful blessings God has given me.
have the kids take the mug with some chocolates that we plan to give our elderly neighbor to him, and do a little extra, inviting him to come over on the 30th, when we're having some other friends over for soup and game night.
order our passports for the Mexico house-building trip, even though we have still not raised the money needed, and trust God to provide for what He has put on our hearts to do.
pray that God will continue to help me see the needs of those around me and give me wisdom on how best to meet those needs.

I want to just encourage you. Is there someone you can reach out to in a special way, even in this last week before Christmas? Is there a college student not able to go home for the holidays? Is there a neighbor struggling and out of work? Is there a senior member of your church who will be lonely and without family? Does a particular gift in the World Vision or Samaritan's Purse catalogs excite you? Do you feel led to help us build a home for a family living in a shack in Mexico?

But please, don't do it because I've guilted you into it or because you bought a $$$$ gift for your husband or kids this year. Don't do it and then just move on with all the excessiveness and self-centeredness that permeates our culture this time of year. Do it with prayer and out of a sincere love for the lost and lonely, and because God is pleased when we selflessly give in His name and for His glory. Do it to be a light that leads others to The Light!

TODAY ONLY - Free Shipping on Toys when you Spend $50

2011-12-16T11:58:00.000-06:00

Target is having a great clearance on some toys right now. If you still have some items to get, avoid the crowds and order TODAY because if you spend $50 or more, you can get free shipping.

Today Only! Free Shipping on All Toys When You Spend $50 at Target.com. No exclusions

Some of my favorite deals are:

The Melissa and Doug clock - was $14.99, now $7.48
Connect 4 - was $17.49, now $8.74
Nab-It! (fun game) - was $19.99, now $9.98
And, of course, Nerf!

But stuff is going "out of stock" very quickly, so hurry!

*Post contains my affiliate link.

"War Horse"

2011-12-09T22:33:00.000-06:00

We had the chance to pre-screen the new movie "War Horse" last night. You can view the trailer HERE (sorry, won't let me embed).

The movie is rated PG-13 for the violent war scenes, which make this quite a bit intense for younger viewers, but the violence is not bloody and gory. (To the best of my recollection, there were two cuss words.) It paints a very realistic picture of war, but without all the unnecessary gruesome images of other movies.

If you join Homeschool Movie Club, you can access a study guide to go along with the movie, and you will get notice of other pre-screen opportunities available in your area.

I did not realize that this movie (and the play by the same name) is based on a book (by Michael Morpurgo). There are some lesson plans available from Collins Education HERE.

This would be a great opportunity to launch a study on World War 1. My son has asked if we can watch "Sargeant York" again soon.

This movie highlights what war can do to a soul -- both bad and good. It also humanizes those on both sides of the battle. It shows what a shared experience can do for a relationship, and what it means to have a determined spirit.

I look forward to watching it again when it comes out on DVD, and perhaps even adding it to our family's collection. Well worth watching.

Weaving Hearts Together: Grapevine Studies -- Free E-Lesson

2011-12-09T13:49:00.000-06:00

Weaving Hearts Together: Grapevine Studies -- Free E-Lesson: We have used Grapvine Studies and really enjoyed them. You use stick figures to illustrate the Bible. Your children copy your drawings on ...

Wonderfully Home Made: December 10 Holiday Home Made Open House

2011-12-07T20:03:00.000-06:00

Wonderfully Home Made: December 10 Holiday Home Made Open House: Wonderfully Home Made is pleased to sponsor A Holiday Homemade Craft Sale/Open House ** Hats ** Scarves** Blankets ** Jellies/Jams ** ...

FREE Shipping at Melissa and Doug!

2011-12-06T22:15:00.000-06:00

I just LOVE Melissa and Doug toys. Their high quality and durability make them favorite gifts for all the kids on my list.

Here are some of my favorite items:

Flower Power Wooden Bead Set

to get your little girl started!

The Deluxe Floor-Standing Wooden Easel

love that it's double-sided!

See and Spell

for that kinesthetic learner!

And there are so very many more! Check out Melissa and Doug for your last minute FREE SHIPPING shopping!

Children in Church

2011-12-01T08:42:00.000-06:00

I have been seeing some great posts about children in church. So I decided to collect some of my favorites, recent and not so recent, to share.

We attend a family integrated church. We have been there for almost two years now, having previously been at a church with all the usual youth programs (but which had begun to suffer from lack of attendance and loss of staff). Our younger children were in Sunday School, in junior church, and in youth groups for most of their lives. This was an adjustment, for sure, but it has been wonderful.

If you have not considered having your children in worship with you, I would highly recommend it. Yes, it will take time and a lot of patience, and you may get some flack depending on the kind of church you attend, but the benefits far outweigh the struggles.

Angels in the Pews
How to Train your Children to Worship
Training Children to Sit in Church
Why Children in Church

And these wonderful resources created to help your child pay attention and sit still during worship:

Listening Pages
Christmas Listening Pages

And encouragement for when it doesn't quite work out as you'd like:

Mothering isn't for Quitters

And a book that I've added to my Wish List on the subject:

Parenting in the Pew

Training Our Daughters: Advent Ideas

2011-11-29T23:10:00.000-06:00

Training Our Daughters: Advent Ideas: The first day of December is just about upon us and I hope you have plans to observe Advent with your family. This is such a special time t...

My Favorite Cyber Monday Deals

2011-11-28T10:54:00.002-06:00

OK, I know I'm not one of those super coupon/deal sites, but still, I like to find a good deal. If you feel so led, these links contain my affiliate link and I would so appreciate you shopping through them.

Target

B1G1 Pillow Pets - $10 each for 18 in; $7 each for 11 in

My youngest really, really enjoys his Pillow Pet. He pretty much takes it everywhere. This is great in our 12 passenger van, because there is no soft place to lay his head if he wants to rest. These are great for the family on the go, and the kids can stash their PJs in the little velco fold.

Oster 22 quart roaster - 50% OFF - $30

Our church has fellowship meal every Sunday, and this is definitely on my wish list. If you cook for a crowd on a regular basis, this is a wonderful item to have.

Mossimo junior's jeans - 50% OFF - $8.00

This is a really great price, and I might go out and get some just because I know a girl who makes wonderful skirts out of jeans. A long denim skirt for $8 would be wonderful!

Great Movie, Music & Book Deals

Babe -- a family classic! -- only $3.99
The Tale of Despereau -- BluRay -- only $4.99!!!
October Sky -- one of our faves -- only $3.99
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs -- $9.99
Blueberries for Sal -- $5.19
Outlive Your Life (Max Lucado) -- a great read -- $16.24

Walker, Texas Ranger -- Ooo! I wish! -- $120.99

Up -- if you haven't seen this, you really, really should! -- $14.99

Casting Crowns -- Peace on Earth -- $6.93

Praise Baby -- these are absolutely wonderful! -- $8.47

Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day -- ooo! this has been on my wish list for a long time! -- $18.19

Radical, by David Platt -- challenging -- $9.74

The Princess Bride -- our "cult" fave! -- only $9.99!!!

The Story of Ferdinand -- kids classic -- $5.19

Horton Hears a Who -- $9.99

Apollo 13 - $9.99

The Best of Rich Mullins -- wow! -- $2.75

Drawing book of Faces -- $4.54

Mindware

Our family LOVES games, and this great site has some great items on sale right now! Check out the following under their SALE tab.

$0.49!

$2.49

$2.95

$6.95

$34.95

The A.D. Chronicles (Thoene)

2011-11-12T19:40:00.000-06:00

I am THOROUGHLY enjoying this series by Brock and Bodie Thoene.

The A.D. Chronicles

I have read the first three:

If they have done accurate research, and I believe they have, the truths that are hidden in Scripture are just amazing...how everything...everything...everything in the Old Testament points to Yeshua.

Even the simple meanings of words like manna. Arthur Pink expounds on this here. The authors of the A.D. Chronicles have a gift for writing that presents this material in such a way that it is a feast for the mind. I should start taking notes! There is some absolutely amazing teaching here.

The Maverick

2011-11-10T22:31:00.001-06:00

Oh, how Gabe longs to be in the air. This is a wonderful video posted by I-Tec, the company founded by Steve Saint, son of martyred missionary Nate Saint. His vision for how missionary aviation can be impacted by this "flying car" is truly...well, visionary!

Please pray for God's provision for our future missionary, and if you feel so led, check out the beautiful wreaths he is selling to pay for his training HERE.

Building for Reynosa: Fear of A Breaking Heart

2011-11-10T09:18:00.000-06:00

Our Mexico trip blog. Thought I'd share.

Building for Reynosa: Fear of A Breaking Heart: I am afraid. Afraid of what I am already feeling after reading Joy's post . Joy is a missionary wife in Indonesia. Her husband is a missi...

Building for Reynosa: A Powerful Testimony

2011-10-23T21:28:00.000-05:00

Building for Reynosa: A Powerful Testimony

Crock Pot Desserts

2011-10-23T20:37:00.000-05:00

I love my "servant girl," the Crock Pot. Being gone on Wednesdays and Thursdays, she makes dinner for us very often.

She also kindly prepares and/or keeps warm many a dish for Sunday's fellowship meals.

I think she will be learning some new recipes soon, though, thanks to this post. These look absolutely fabulous.

Training Our Daughters: Fall 2011 Craft Fair

2011-10-23T16:43:00.000-05:00

Check out the post on my other blog about our craft fair! It was fun. I made a decent amount this time, and I have been invited to an in-home party on November 6, plus we have decided to host an in-home open house ourselves at the end of November or beginning of December.

Please pray God's blessings on our work.

Training Our Daughters: Fall 2011 Craft Fair: There are the jellies and jams! My friend Kimberley calls them "jewels." You can see Gabe's marble mazes there, too. Dinora at "Dinora's S...

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 10/21/11

2011-10-21T16:35:00.000-05:00

In my life this week…

finished the canning. Cleaned. Began thinking about more feminine dress thanks to "The Modest Mom: 31 Days of Femininity" and Sara Mae at "Like a Warm Cup of Coffee: The Get Dressed Challenge."

In our homeschool this week…

a 3 1/2 day week. Seem for some bizarre reason to have lost two school books in the great black hole. Does that ever happen to you? I cleaned in anticipation of guests...which I'm convinced I shouldn't ever do because then I can't find anything! [grin] I've looked everywhere, and can't find an Explode the Code and our Sequential Spelling. Rather...ok, completely....frustrating.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

Um, keep track of your books! Just kidding. OK, only half kidding.

I am inspired by…

friends who are far more creative than I am. I so wish I could sew, and have found lots of wonderful things I wish I could make and pinned them to my Pinterest sewing board. I know, someone who can't sew should not have a sewing board, but...one can always hope.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We are hosting our church's prayer meeting tonight, so I don't know how many people will be arriving a bit later. My dearest girlfriend is arriving either Saturday evening or meeting us at church Sunday morning to visit for a day or two. Much to short for my liking, but I have to take what I can get since she has family in town also. Our craft fair is tomorrow also, so we have a very full day. We will probably miss our support group's hymn sing on Sunday for the second month in a row. Not happy, but have to visit with my best girl when I can.

My favorite thing this week was…

Finishing the last jar of jam! Canning pot is stored on the top porch shelf and I don't plan on taking it down for a while. :-)

What’s working/not working for us…

This living in the big city. It seems that drivers...and pedestrians...just get more inconsiderate every day. There is just no common courtesy anymore.

Questions/thoughts I have…

What is going to happen in regards to hubby's job and our insurance?

Things I’m working on…

other than the craft fair?! Making plans for a girls' weekend.

I’m reading…

Not much on my own right now. Reading "Beautiful Girlhood" and "The King's Daughter" with Katie as we participate in the "B'Twixt & B'Tween Beautiful Girlhood 32 Week Study" and begin using "Training our Daughters to be Keepers at Home."

I’m cooking…

frozen pizza for dinner. Sorry, too much going on. Even bought paper plates. Did bake an apple pie today. Mmmm. Looks and smells so good. Katie baked two sheet cakes also for tonight's "make your own cake" dessert.

I’m grateful for…

kids who are so great at pitching in and helping me get things done.

A house that is cleaner/neater than it's been in months.

I’m praying for…

healing for hubby, a decision regarding his job that is beneficial, a good profit from the craft fair, provision for the mission trip, and a job for our oldest as well as provision for upcoming college expenses. (Most are the same as last week.)

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Doesn't this look wonderful? You can almost smell it!!

$86,400.00

2011-10-20T07:42:00.000-05:00

Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest: Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use.

However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.

Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

You may not simply transfer money into some other account.

You may only spend it.

Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400.00 for that day.

The second set of rules:

The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say, Its over, the game is over! It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right? Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right? Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right? You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?

ACTUALLY This GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank. We just can't seem to see it.

The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us.

What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost.

Yesterday is forever gone.

Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time....WITHOUT WARNING.

SO, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Think about that, and always think of this:

Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

So take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day.

Start spending.

Beautiful Wreaths

2011-10-19T19:06:00.000-05:00

I'm not too eager to start talking about Christmas, but honestly, it will be here before we know it. And really, I am one of the first ones to complain about the fact that the stores have Christmas decorations out weeks before "Halloween."

But, I wanted to share this wonderful opportunity with you.

Gabe, our future missionary pilot, has been selling these wreaths for years, as part of his efforts to save money towards college. They are absolutely beautiful and of the highest quality. They add such beauty to your holiday decorating and the scent of fresh pine boughs in your entryway is such a nice touch.

If you are interested in purchasing a wreath for yourself or one for a friend as a wonderful Christmas gift (or both!), you can contact us or you can order on the Wreaths of Maine web site.

If you order on the web site, there is a spot on the checkout page that asks for "Seller ID." Please enter #3369 (thesimeons1990). This way Gabe will get credit for the purchase. Also, please contact us and let us know that you ordered and which wreath(s) you ordered, as we have to submit a sales log.

We would so appreciate if you would share this post with your friends, your church, your employer and co-workers...anyone who might want to add fresh pine wreaths to enhance their Christmas decorating...and anyone who might have a desire to support a future missionary pilot.

Here is a missionary aviation videos that Gabe has been encouraged by. You can also find more videos at Mission Aviation Fellowship.

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 10/14/11

2011-10-14T20:50:00.000-05:00

In my life this week…

only 3 days of school this week. Preserving, cleaning, orchestra, violin lessons, and hubby worked late 3 days, ... so I'm tired. :-)

In our homeschool this week…

oops, I just said, only three days. We decided not to continue Chemistry with our oldest. It's just too stressful. And rather than get a tutor, we've decided to just finish our Biology and then our Physical Science. It isn't worth the agony.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

hmm..I guess be flexible considering our decision this week. And when life gets horrendously busy, the joy about homeschooling is that it can adjust to life. We had a "home ec" day today. The kids really have been working hard, doing extra work because of dad's health problem and long work days and also as I prepare for this craft fair. They are learning cooperation, entrepreneurship, ministry to others, service, and household skills.

I am inspired by…

Ann Voskamp. Just watched a video and posted about it HERE.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Tomorrow we spit into guys and gals teams for Men/Maidens of Virtue with our church, a monthly gathering time. The men and boys have a devotion and will work on learning an electrical skill. The ladies will also have a devotional time and will work on learning a sewing skill.

My favorite thing this week was…

seeing the jars of finished jelly/jam accumulate and resuming nightly prayer nights, one night with each child.

What’s working/not working for us…

Trying to craft in the little space we have. The stuff sure takes up a lot of room!

Questions/thoughts I have…

Have I taken on more than I can really handle? Katie and I started a new blogging project and are trying to get ready for a craft fair, and just as that begun, hubby began to have some health issues.

Things I’m working on…

Finished the strawberry jam today. De-stemmed and crushed the blueberries. Tomorrow when we get home we will make blueberry jam (regular [i.e., sugar loaded], no sugar added, and honey-sweetened) and some mint jelly, and perhaps more peach jam. We are also trying to get the house ready for two houseguests who arrive on Friday. With only two bedrooms for the six of us, it makes adding two more quite an interesting prospect. They will be in the kids' room and the kids will "camp out," which they enjoy.

I’m reading…

Just finished "Second Touch," by Brock and Bodie Thoene. Also slowing reading and savoring "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. Reading "Hank the Cow Dog" and "Guns of Thunder" to the kids.

I’m cooking…

the jams and jellies.

I’m grateful for…

a dear friend who donated enough so that we can apply for our passports for our upcoming (God-willing) mission trip to Mexico.

Also, Divine Intervention that saved us from a hydroplaning accident this week.

I’m praying for…

healing for hubby, strength to do all that I need to do, a good profit from the craft fair, provision for the mission trip, and a job for our oldest as well as provision for upcoming college expenses.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Our oldest wants to be a missionary pilot. He has since he was 8. He is fascinated by this!

Thankfulness

2011-10-13T22:49:00.001-05:00

I am learning a lot lately about thankfulness, as I continue to work on my "One Thousand Gifts" journal and slowly, thoughtful read the book.

I wanted to share this post from Joy at "Grace Full Mama." She shares some wonderful thoughts. I am going to print the "six secrets" and post them for the household to see! It is much needed lately. :-)

Building for Reynosa: "God gives the world enough of what it needs....

2011-10-13T22:23:00.000-05:00

Building for Reynosa: "God gives the world enough of what it needs....: ...He just doesn't distribute it." Wow! Please read this post by Ann Voskamp about her mission trip to Guatemala with Compassion. She...

Scripture Memory

2011-10-10T16:24:00.001-05:00

Here is an absolutely beautiful set of Scripture memory cards you can print (and laminate if you desire) for your children's enjoyment. The are adorable!

http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/10/abc-printable-scripture-cards/

CurrClick 50% off Sale - through tomorrow (10/9)

2011-10-08T09:48:00.001-05:00

Hi friends,

Just a quick note to share with you that CurrClick is having a wonderful 50% off sale through tomorrow. You can get "Hands of a Child" lapbooks and many other resources here. I love digital/download formats because it saves me the ridiculous cost of shipping!

Or just need a little something extra to spice up your regular studies? There are many, many great options here.

So check it out!

Netflix

2011-10-06T17:09:00.000-05:00

I was trying to find a free copy of Shenandoah (with Jimmy Stewart) the other day so our Civil War studies. I was unsuccessful, so I thought I'd give in and get a free month's trial of Netflix. Once I got signed up, I realized that Shenandoah was not available for online viewing.

Sigh.

But, I found several other interesting titles that I am eager to watch before I go ahead and cancel our trial!

One Night with the King
The Book of Ruth: Journey of Faith
What If...
The Encounter
Beyond the Next Mountain
Candle in the Dark
The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry
In the Arms of Angels
Home Beyond the Sun

It is so hard to find quality, family friendly movies. I am especially excited about "One Night with the King" and "What If..."

There are also many movies from Affirm Films, who helped to put out "Fireproof" and "Courageous" and others that I would love to see.

We sometimes just go online to watch the oldies but goodies like Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows.

And there are many from the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival that I would love to see, like "The Widow's Might," "Heartstrings," and "The Runner from Ravenshead."

Can you recommend any good films that can be viewed online for free?

FREE audio book - "Think" by John Piper

2011-10-03T15:16:00.000-05:00

ChristianAudio.com's free book of the month for October is "Think" by John Piper. Check out the video trailer.

Something Big is Coming and a $56,000 Homeschool Sweepstakes! | Home Educating Association

2011-09-28T11:51:00.000-05:00

Something Big is Coming and a $56,000 Homeschool Sweepstakes! | Home Educating Association

Enter to win LOTS of fabulous prize packages!

Doorposts Giveaway

2011-09-26T16:01:00.000-05:00

Go to my "Training our Daughters" blog to enter a giveaway for a $25 gift certificate from Doorposts. There are lots of wonderful child training items to choose from, as well as much encouragement for parents.

Doorposts Giveaway

My Miserable Failure of a Garden

2011-09-22T12:23:00.000-05:00

I admit to being very, very disappointed. We thought the Square Foot Gardening method was going to be the answer to all our problems -- poor/clay soil, nowhere to plant (our back yard is concrete), not enough sunlight in the few spots we could grow something.

I know for a fact that we did NOT use 5-6 different types of compost. And I know for a fact that we should have filled the boxes more, because after settling, the soil was too shallow. We obviously plan to resolve the depth issue by adding more soil mixture once everything is pulled up. And I have a man who is giving me worm castings/compost in about 3 weeks.

My question is....did we do anything else wrong? I desperately want to get this to succeed. I think growing our own food is important, but I obviously did not inherit my father's green thumb. (And he's with the Lord, so he can't help me.)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Here are some pictures of things as they stand now. I didn't photograph the three dead tomato plants. We harvested a small amount of tomatoes off of those, and about 10 or so radishes. The subsequent planting is not maturing, and neither did the previous one.

Yard Sale Attempt 2

2011-09-21T21:51:00.000-05:00

A friend's block is having a block sale this weekend, so she is letting us bring what we have left from our earlier yard sale attempt (which is pretty much everything we had put out and then some more, go figure). I am praying for a better result.

I feel like God has been blessing in so many ways. He has blessed my new blog (Training our Daughters), he appears to be securing my husband's job even though his company is losing the account he's been assigned to, he allowed us to sell at least half of the armoire in the kids' room (which I've been trying to get rid of for ages)...and the man may come back for the other two pieces, another man may be coming tomorrow to look at our old van, and he blessed us with a profitable catering job.

Do you ever get this sense of anticipation, like something amazing is about to happen? I have friends who are praying for God's outpouring on us, specifically in regards to the job situation. So I am waiting with excitement to see what He will do.

I'm also hoping for a good result at this yard sale. I've committed that nothing will come back to our house. Anything left will go to Salvation Army, the thrift store, or the garbage dumpster.

At the least, I need enough to come in to get me some canning jars, more seals, and some pectin. The same friend and I are having a table at a craft fair in a month and I have much fruit to can. Strawberries, peaches, mint and blueberries are waiting in the freezer to be canned, and 100 pounds of apples are sitting in my kitchen that we picked Monday, waiting to be turned into pies, applesauce and apple peel jelly.

Dwarf Tophat Blueberry

2011-09-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

Dwarf Tophat Blueberry

Gardens Alive! sent us a catalog saying, "We want you back," with a $25 any order coupon. I'm excited. I ordered three of these and they arrived today! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a supply of fresh berries right from my rooftop garden!

"I'm Sorry"

2011-09-21T21:40:00.000-05:00

This was a great post on Raising Homemakers that gave me pause to think and much food for thought.

I do teach my children to say "I'm sorry." And, for what it's worth, the "but" is never a part of the equation. There is no acceptable excuse.

However, now I'm thinking that perhaps a better thing to say would be, "I was wrong. With God's help, I won't do it again. Please forgive me."

It is important to ask our children the right questions as we lead them to repentance.

One of my favorite resources is "Wise Words for Moms" by Ginger Plowman.

Wise Words for Moms

I'll be giving this some additional thought.

"Homeschool Blind Spots"

2011-09-14T21:24:00.002-05:00

This is a great post and something we would do well to remember. It is easy to rely on our own works -- homeschooling, curriculum choices, attending a family integrated church, not participating in youth groups, even having family devotions. We think if we do it right, the results will be what we want. And often we are critical of parents' whose results, to us, indicate that they didn't do it right.

What we need to remember is that our children are "to be taught of the Lord," and only the Holy Spirit can change their hearts, and it is God who saves (not us).

That's not do say we shouldn't do what we do (after evaluating our motives, convictions, reasons). But that we should place our children in God's hands daily, through prayer. We may plant the seeds, we may water, but it is God who causes the growth.

Homeschool Blindspots - Joshua Harris

"The Invisible Woman"

2011-09-07T19:34:00.000-05:00

Back in the Saddle & New "Training our Daughters" Launch Party

2011-09-06T16:01:00.000-05:00

Well, we're back in the homeschool saddle. Today was our first day of the new school year. I confess to being somewhat appalled at the effect four weeks off had on my kids. Ugh. :-)

I wanted to invite you all over to our new "Training our Daughters" blog for our week-long launch party and giveaway. We have a lot of great items...all going to one lucky winner. Please check us out and share us with your friends.

Our Weaver blog will being to have some fun posts again, now that we're back on schedule, but I'm sad to say my camera was damaged in a freak exploding can of pop in my purse accident and it's just not acting right. I think I can still manage to take some pictures, but it is unreliable and I'm really sad about that, because it's the pictures of the kids doing school that make the blog so fun.

Anyway, would love to hear about your new school year and any new project plans you have.

Unless you Become Like a Little Child

2011-08-31T00:14:00.004-05:00

We took another bike ride today, and my kids just about said "hi" to everyone they passed.

And then a girl walked down the street to say hi to the kids as they were playing out front. Now, there are rarely other kids playing out in the neighborhood. Usually mine are the only ones. I love that my kids are so welcoming. She said she was new to the neighborhood and hadn't met anyone yet.

I overheard snatches of the conversation: Katie telling her something about comets not possibly being able to be millions of years old, "we don't go to school," "we believe in Jesus," tidbits about our recent vacation, introductions, etc. She went off to get what I guess were her siblings, and Katie quickly informed me that she had an "ulterior motive" to tell her about Jesus, because she said she didn't know about him.

Are your kids like that? There is absolutely NO HESITATION when it comes to asking someone if they believe in Jesus. They are not worried whether someone will think they are weird. I'm sure they would be hurt if they were scoffed at or criticized or teased, but those thoughts don't automatically enter their mind and cause them to hold back.

Why am I not so open? I'm automatically in self-preservation mode or watching out for someone who might harm my children. I'm cautiously listening to the conversation, ready to step in if need be.

Oh, if only I could be more like them.

"First Light" by Brock and Bodie Thoene

2011-08-30T22:11:00.001-05:00

I've been reading far less fiction lately, but I still truly enjoy historical fiction, and this was riveting.

Set during the ministry of Jesus, it weaves together the story of a blind beggar, a member of Herod's court, a centurion, a rabbi and others -- some of whom are historical figures who truly encountered the Savior, and some who could have encountered Him.

What was most interesting was how the authors wove types from the Old Testament (Abraham and others) into the story in a way that truly reminded me of things I had learned long ago and forgotten -- how everything and everyone points to Christ. This was all presented in such an amazing way! It awakened a desire to study more of the Old Testament and left me wondering how the Jews could have missed the Messiah with all that the Scriptures fortell of Him.

This was so enjoyable and I just picked up the second in the series from my public library, so am delving right in and eager to learn more.

Simple Woman's Daybook - 8/30/11

2011-08-30T10:52:00.000-05:00

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/

Outside my window...

I'm not sure. I haven't opened the curtains yet. :-)

I am thinking...

I need to get off this computer. But I need to get this new site ready for the official launch on September 5. Check it out: Training Our Daughters.

I am thankful...

For the ways God has blessed this project already. He has provided wonderful women to advise and give items for our launch giveaway. He has granted us favor.

From the learning rooms...

We officially start school on the 6th, but I am trying to get organized amidst everything else. I hope to work on our schedule today and tomorrow.

In the kitchen...

Tomatoes are in the dehydrator. The basil is done. The house smelled so wonderful while it was dehydrating.

I am wearing...

Um...my pjs still...

I am creating...

This new web site. I am so excited about this journey we are starting.

I am going...

To take a bike ride with the kids today.

I am wondering...

If I can do it all. Have I bitten off more than I can chew? Is this what God wants for us?

I am reading...

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, but it is going slow because of all the school prep and web site launch, plus it is something one just can't breeze through. It takes time to process all the amazingly deep thoughts she shares. But I am loving it.

I am hoping...

For some relaxation this weekend. We have a family wedding Friday, support group bike/hike on Saturday, family cook-out on Sunday, and web site launch party and either zoo or Shipshewana on Monday. Then school starts Tuesday. Any chance for relaxation? Not sure.

I am looking forward to...

Having a schedule in place.

I am hearing...

Kids goofing around in the bedroom instead of cleaning it.

Around the house...

Things are getting a bit neglected because of this project and school planning, but I am trying to keep a handle on it all.

I am pondering...

What I am going to do in a year from now when our oldest goes off to college.

One of my favorite things...

The cooler evenings on the porch.

A few plans for the rest of the week...

I think I included that above.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Aren't these tomatoes beautiful?

Organizing

2011-08-30T10:34:00.000-05:00

Most people do this at the beginning of a calendar year -- you know, they're New Year's resolution to get more organized. I tend to do this at the beginning of each school year. It fits naturally with the curriculum planning, etc.

While I admit to never having succeeded at maintaining a system long-term, probably not even for a whole year. OK, maybe once. But definitely not two years.

Still, I'm hopeful that one day life with begin to run smooth enough (HA!?!) that a system will stay in place and impact our lives long term.

What I Use

Managers of their Homes and Managers of their Chores (Terri Maxwell)

I really like these systems. They take quite a while to set up. And I have to be careful that they don't turn me into a drill sergeant. Terri Maxwell reminds us that they are tools that we control, not that control us.

Here is our master chore list. I've also made chore packs for Katie, Jake and Noah. We go over this as tweak it once a year, moving kids up to jobs that are more in line with their abilities. Next year, we'll have to figure out who will cover all of Gabe's chores. (Yikes) I'm always amazed at how excited the kids get about what they "get to do."

Chore Checklist

I'm still working on our master schedule. OK, I haven't even started (due to working on our new project over at Training Our Daughters), but need to this week obviously.

I've also had a family notebook in the past. But when I've had a baby, I haven't wanted to carry around that big notebook with the master calendar, and I definitely don't like having to sync multiple calendars. So I had stopped using it. If I could find it, I'd just update it, but I can't so, I found the following which I think I might put together. She has created some really beautiful printables. Now if I can just get ink for my printer! :-)

Amy Bayliss' Household Management Notebook
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

As an aside, I also LOVE her post about making pretty envelopes for the envelope system of managing finances.

Vanilla Extract

2011-08-30T10:29:00.000-05:00

OK, I've read about making homemade vanilla extra for a while. Think I'm going to give it a try. Here are two posts:

http://onceamonthmom.com/vanilla-extract-experiment/
http://amybayliss.com/2011/08/recipe-how-to-make-homemade-vanilla-bean-extract-pantry-staples/

Little by Little

2011-08-29T18:56:00.001-05:00

Hubby came home with fun presents today. I don't need flowers. I'm happy with bunches of fresh basil, which is almost dried now, and all these tomatoes, from which we saved seeds, and which will be dried next.

Plus, he and the kids chopped a bunch of peaches for me (that he had previously brought home) this afternoon, so we are ready for another batch of peach jam and this time we saved the peels and pits to make peach jelly. Now I just need to get some more jars!

So even though our garden is not yielding what I had hoped, God is still -- in a way only He can do -- providing for us in amazing ways, little by little. Some peaches here, some basil there, next some tomatoes.

He is also providing in amazing ways for our new venture over at Training Our Daughters. Be sure to come check us out, follow, and get ready for our Launch Party and Giveaway -- with a lot of wonderful prizes -- the week of September 5.

Trophy even brought home the fixin's for chicken fried rice and made dinner for us.

Giveaway: 12 Week Holiday Planner

2011-08-29T08:17:00.000-05:00

Sherri Graham is giving away one of these wonderful planners. Head over to her blog and sign up.

And next week, we are offering a copy of the planner as well as many other gifts at our Launch Party and Giveaway our new "Training our Daughters" site. We'd love to have you join us over there.

"American Woman's Home"

2011-08-26T22:22:00.000-05:00

"What, then, is the end designed by the family state which Jesus Christ came into this world to secure?

It is to provide for the training of our race to the highest possible intelligence, virtue, and happiness by means of the self-sacrificing labors of the wise and good, and this with chief reference to a future immortal existence."

-- The American Woman's Home,

Catharine E. Beecher and

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Motherhood Is Application

2011-08-26T06:59:00.001-05:00

OK, I know one of the blogging no-no's I read recently is just linking to other people's posts....

But...

If you find yourself weary, this is good encouragement.

Motherhood Is Application

"Pretzels! Goldfish crackers! Imaginary money accepted!"

2011-08-25T21:42:00.001-05:00

What a fun evening! Thanks to Redbox's "America's Movie Night!"

We got our free code, took another bike ride over to the kiosk, and picked up "Mars Needs Moms."

After dinner, dishes & chores, showers, doggie bath, and a couple of hymns...

We closed the curtains, lit our glow sticks, spread out our pillows and blankets, and....

...around came our own little snack vendor, in his mismatched pajamas, with his own little tray. Too stinking cute! (Katie gets kudos for coming up with the idea and letting him execute it.)

Really enjoyed the movie too.

"Around the World" FREEBIE!

2011-08-25T08:38:00.001-05:00

What a great resource! I've been wanting to do geography with my kids for a long time. In the introduction to this curriculum, Terri suggests that you insert a week-long study of a country between your regular history curriculum. I LOVE that idea, because it seems we never can find time to squeeze it in.

All NINE units are available through tomorrow only for FREE!

That's a week-long study each for nine different countries that include craft ideas, recipes, and maps.

Don't miss this! I sure hope Terri creates this material for the rest of the world. :-)

But what I've really been wanting for a L..O...N...G time is Ann Voskamp's "A Child's Geography." If you've read her book, "One Thousand Gifts," you know what a creative writer she is. You can view three sample chapters (click on the picture of the book) and see for yourself! This is absolutely on my wish list!

Desperately Need Painting Help!

2011-08-25T07:29:00.000-05:00

OK, friends. An interior designer I am not. So I need some help here. I would "Ask Genevieve," but I can't afford her! :-)

I have three children in one room. We want to paint, and I -- probably mistakenly -- let them each choose a color. I think I'm going to give them each a wall, if we can get the big hulking Ikea armoire out of the room. I'd ideally love to exchange the boys' bunk bed for two loft beds, but we may have to, for now, just keep the bunk and/or separate them into separate twins, which will leave no room for dressers.

And I really have no choice. We have two bedrooms and 4 children. Hubby and I share one bedroom, obviously, and we've made a place for our oldest in the basement. But the other three really have to be squeezed into this small room.

Here is my attempt at a current layout of the room. The closet is pretty useless, being so narrow and long and having no rod. The kids used to have it full of toys, but since they never put them away properly (tossing everything into the closet and closing the door before it all could fall out!) or left them all over the bedroom floor, the toys have been relegated to the basement. There are a very limited number of items in the closet now, as well as a pretty emtpy stand-alone shelving unit. The slant next to the closet is a door. The small wall next to that door is painted in chalkboard paint, but it didn't cover well, so I think we'll paint over it. The small wall perpendicular to that is the bedroom door. The slant in the other corner is a slanted wall in which there is a window. Yes, there is a dresser that blocks the armoire. That is because it only had shelves, not drawers, for the boys clothes and I was tired of everything falling on the floor (yes, not to be put back or put back unfolded) when they tried to get something out. So I gave them a dresser with drawers. The center section of the armoire holds a couple laundry baskets of additional clothes, and Katie's and my hanging items. The left armoire section holds Katie's clothes.

Here is what I'd like to do -- take out the armoire. The boys beds would be loft beds, which would allow some floor space for the dressers. Katie's dresser would have to be under one of the boys' beds as her bed is a somewhat large daybed that we don't want to get rid of as it was a gift from my husband's now-deceased sister. Also, Katie's seemingly never-ending baskets & boxes & crates of "girly things" go under her bed, keeping them mostly out of the way.

Here is Noah's color choice:

Here is Jacob's color choice:

Here is Katie's color choice (or as close as I can get to it, since it was on clearance and probably not an exact match since it doesn't have a label on it. It is actually a tad bit more peachy/orangey):

We are on a VERY limited budget, so buying things is not really an option. If we give each a wall, I would like to get cheaply or make a bulletin board or some such thing for each of them.

I know that it will not be very "stylish," but when I think about the families in Reynosa living in houses fabricated from old doors or wood slats and having only one room, I need to appreciate the abundance that God has given us.

We have some wood lathes that we bought for our square foot garden that we didn't use, because they were splitting when we tried to hammer them into the boxes. If I could figure out how to get hooks or corkboard on them, I could make something similar to this.

Again, I am not very creative and need to find ways to repurpose what we already have.

I DESPERATELY want to find some way to create a unifying theme across all three "personal spaces." Hmm. I found these ideas, but not sure yet how they would work with the colors the kids have picked.

Outdoors

Forest and meadow – he gets bears and deer, she gets butterflies and bunnies
Backyard – he gets a treehouse with a “no girls” sign, she gets a garden in full bloom
Farm – put the pigs and tractors on his side, the stable with the horses on hers

Artist – think crayons, paint brushes, palettes, bright colors

Beach – sand, water, sky colors mixed with bright surfboards and towels and swimsuits

Looking for a border that might unify the colors, here is an option:

Angelfish

Here are some other ideas I came across:

THIS fabulous hanging bed idea. Um, I think this might just work if I can't locate two loft beds on freecycle!
Each of these had a couple of creative ideas I could borrow:

8 Kids Storage and Organization Ideas (I liked the clipboards & the curtain to hide clutter)
Kids' Storage and Organization Ideas that Grow (the soda crates, the wooden crates, the kitchen canisters)

Oh, I desperately need someone creative!!!

"Best Day Ever"

2011-08-24T13:35:00.012-05:00

"Mom! I never did this before!"

"This is amazing!"

"Woo-hoo!"

"Yeah!"

"Best day ever!"

You'd think we'd climbed to the top of Mt. Everest for all the excitement that the outing generated.

All we did was ride our bikes to the library.

Now, this is probably normal for many of you, but living in a very crowded city with, um, how do I say it tactfully, so many drivers who shouldn't have drivers' licenses, and only last week still having an insecure-and-learning-on-one-or-no-training-wheels-which-Mom-refused-to-put-back-on five year old, we haven't don't much family biking.

Last year, when we went on a homeschool biking outing on an actual trail (not having to worry about traffic), poor little Noah couldn't keep up and was in tears. The problem is, if you, as an adult, are trying to ride v...e...r...y s...l...o...w...l...y along next to him, there comes a point where you can no longer keep your balance on your bike and might as well just walk.

So I wasn't in any hurry to do this again, at least until all kids were proficient and able to keep up.

But, due to some current financial constraints, I jumped in with both feet and decided we'd take the bikes to the library....down a very busy city street. I know you are not technically supposed to ride on the sidewalk, but we did anyway -- me first (to check driveways, alleys and intersections), followed by the 10yo, then the 7yo, then the 5yo, and keeping an eye on the littles, the 17yo.

You'd think we were in a parade. The hoots and hollers were non-stop.

Oh, the joys!

Of course, now I'm hot and sweaty and a bit sore from falling into the fence when trying to get my cramped leg over the seat at dismount. [grin] But it was all worth it!

Take time to appreciate the simple moments with your kids. Make sure your days and weeks include enough fun stuff.

One of my favorite books is J. R. Miller's "Homemaking."

"A happy childhood stores away sunshine in the chambers of the heart which brightens the life to its close."

"Pour the sunshine about them in youth; let them be happy; encourage all innocent joy; provide pleasant games for them; romp and play with them; be a child again among them. Then God's blessing will come upon your home, and your children will grow up synny-hearted, gentle, affectionate, joyous themselves and joy-bearers to the world."

Shared at:
Domestically Divine
Making your Home Sing Mondays
Raising Homemakers
Titus2sdays link-up
Women Living Well Wednesdays link-up
Womanly Ways Wednesdays link-up
Home Haven Thursdays
Building our Homes Together
Hearts 4 Home

Settle Down Don’t lose your passion and energy; take charge of it

2011-08-24T07:54:00.000-05:00

I'm not acquainted with the YRR "movement" that MacArthur is talking about, but I think what he has to say here applies to all young people. This is something I will have my young man read.

Settle Down Don’t lose your passion and energy; take charge of it

A Heart for Others

2011-08-22T19:34:00.011-05:00

The kids and I attended a birthday party yesterday. The discussion among the moms turned momentarily to the "joys" of taking a youngster shopping for a birthday gift for someone else, and how children have difficulty choosing a gift that the intended recipient would like rather than a gift the giver himself or herself would like.

I re-told the fact that, when I was growing up, my paternal grandmother would always insist that the birthday girl or boy was not the only child receiving the gift, but that all the cousins received something, so as not to feel left out.

Remembering this today rather saddens me. Birthdays are an excellent time to learn to "consider others better than yourselves."

While birthdays are a great time to teach your children to focus on others instead of themselves, there are so many other opportunities to make this a part of their lives. We don't want this focus on others to be limited to special occasions when we remind them on the way out the door to the party.

I know I'm only one of many to write on this subject, and I'm sure I don't have anything new to add, but I just wanted to stress this:

A focus on, sensitivity to, compassion for others does not happen by accident. Parents MUST be intentional in training their children to be other-focused and parents MUST model it themselves. And it must be reinforced over and over and over again. This is a lesson that must continue to be taught throughout an entire lifetime.

This begins as early as the first time a little one grabs a toy from a sibling and/or utters that selfish word, "Mine." It continues when a child greedily snatches up the last cookie on the plate. And it certainly continues when a pre-teen or teen begins to look at his or her siblings as bothersome and in the way.

Selfishness and self-centeredness is something that we will fight our entire lives. The world screams at us that "it's all about you."

We must begin these lessons with a God-focus. We must help them realize that it's all about God, about making Him known, and about showing His character -- His immense love and grace and mercy and generosity -- to the world. A focus on others flows naturally out of a focus on God and glorifying Him.

I just wanted to list a few simple things that we have done over the years to get your creative juices flowing. This is by no means a comprehensive list. I think the simplest way to start is to begin by noticing (and seeking to know) the needs of those closest to you.

Mow a neighbor's lawn (without pay).
Take baked goods or meals to an elderly man/woman/couple in your neighborhood.
Look for things that need doing around parent's/grandparent's homes.
Make/take frozen meals to shut-ins/new moms/moving families/the sick.
Participate as a family in service projects.

Our homeschool group and church have both at various times washed shoes for a shoe donation ministry, gone caroling/performed plays at nursing homes, done home maintenance/repair projects for ministries or needy families, made hand-crafted items to donate to families/ministries.

Assign children chores NOT for pay but as part of their service to the family/household.
Encourage children to serve their siblings. Do "secret acts of kindness."
Provide childcare for a weary or sick or new mom.
Visit the shut-ins, especially those in nursing homes.
PRAY FOR OTHERS. Keep a prayer list and watch how God answers prayer.

Our children also love to have what they call "Parent Serving Night." They will do all the after-dinner clean-up (even if it's not their assigned night), will lotion feet and legs, give back rubs, put on little plays, and a variety of other fun activities.

Our children are also looking forward to, for the first time ever, going on a mission trip together. We are going to the Texas/Mexico border in February with another family to build a house for a needy family, perhaps even two. They are immensely excited and toss every ounce of spare change into our "Reynosa Jar." They also remind each other that they are giving up extras to help others. If one asks for a treat like a McFlurry, the others will say ... "Mexico!"

If you should feel led, we are in the process of raising funds for this trip. You can visit our "Building for Reynosa" blog and keep updated on our progress, find items to pray for, learn about the ministry we will be working with, and donate to help make our trip possible. It is only through God's provision that we will be able to do this.

Building our Homes Together

Elderberries

2011-08-19T07:12:00.000-05:00

I am TRYING to learn about and become more self-sufficient but it seems so hard. Our rooftop square foot garden is not doing well, we have limited resources to buy all these things we'd like to explore like laying hens and aquaponics, and I just don't have the know-how.

My friend Jacque shared this wonderful post about elderberries and elderberry tincture, which sounds absolutely fabulous, but the bush prices are pretty high and I don't even know if wild elderberries grow anywhere around here.

Anyway, add this to my list of things I want to do!

Amazing Grace!

2011-08-17T16:50:00.002-05:00

Some serious food for thought!

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tullian/2011/08/17/deconstructing-moralism/

6 Simple Stitches Every Crafter Should Know - Hobby Farms

2011-08-17T16:12:00.003-05:00

6 Simple Stitches Every Crafter Should Know - Hobby Farms

Check out my new blog on "Training Our Daughters." Our journey starts September 6!

I hope you will join us.

Two More Weeks

2011-08-16T22:40:00.003-05:00

I thought I had plenty of time to get ready for the new school year and it seems all of a sudden, the end of summer is upon us.

The kids are eeking every minute of fun they can out of these last two weeks. Since Katie got her "new" bike this weekend, and Noah learned how to ride without training wheels yesterday, they have wanted to spend every spare minute riding.

We also went to a local conservatory today for a quick visit. I didn't plan it to be quick, but there had been significant hail damage to the greenhouse roofs and several of the areas were closed.

I cleaned off Katie's and Noah's/Jacob's shelves of items we will not be using this coming year and made sure all their 2011-2012 items were in good order. Still have to do Gabe's shelves.

2011-2012 Curriculum for Katie (5th Grade)

Bible: Polished Cornerstones
Language Arts: finish Total Language Plus; Easy Grammar 5; English from the Roots Up
History: Beautiful Feet's History of Classical Music
Math: Math-U-See Beta then start Gamma
Science: Apologia Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day
Health: SOS High School Health (she really wants to do this)
Music: violin lessons, orchestra, and Alfred Essentials of Music Theory Self-Study
Other: Training our Daughters to be Keepers at Home

2011-2012 Curriculum for Jacob (2th Grade) and Noah (1st Grade)

Bible supplement: Leading Little Ones to God
Bible, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts, Health: Weaver Volume 1-2
Addt'l Language Arts/Spelling: Sequential Spelling
Handwriting: Reason for Handwriting
Reading: Explode the Code 4 1/2-6
Math: Math-U-See Intro to Mathematics (old version)-Beta
Art: Artistic Pursuits

2011-2012 Curriculum for Gabe (12th Grade)

Bible: Prepare Thy Work

Language Arts: Christian Classic Literature Study Guide

History: Christian Liberty's Story of the Constitution

Science: Apologia Chemistry

Math: Alpha Omega Lifepac Accounting

Other: Speech; Small Gas Engines; Secrets of World Changers DVD course;
Business Computer Information Systems

I had wanted to purchase "A Record of the Learning Lifestyle" for Gabe and Katie to assist in record-keeping, but I ran out of funds so will likely print up a daily/weekly log for them.

I also need to revisit our "Managers of their Homes" schedule and plan the day. I will be studying the Christian Classics along with Gabe, and I'll need to schedule everyone's work so that I can juggle the times when I need to be working with various students against when others will be working independently.

I also need to tweak our "Managers of their Chores" lists, try to finish up the chore packs for the younger kids or at least get the chore master list done.

Still so much to do, and we have a very busy next week-and-a-half with an overnight trip, a birthday luncheon and pool party, a family wedding including rehearsal dinner and 300 caramel/chocolate covered pretzels to make. I'm a little nervous that the scheduling won't get done in time for the start of school and we'll have to stumble our way through for a week or two.

I'd love to hear your curriculum plans for the next year. Feel free to leave a comment and/or include a link to your blog. (I'm looking into this linky thing, but I fear it is not free, so I may have to forego it.)

Peach Jam Recipe

2011-08-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

4 c. finely chopped peaches (about 3 lb. or 9 medium)
1/3 c. lemon juice
7 1/2 c. sugar
2 3-oz. pouches Ball Realfruit Liquid Pectin

Prepare waterbath canner, jars and lids according to manufacturer's instructions. Prepare and measure ingredients for recipe.

Combine prepared fruit with lemon juice and sugar in an 8-quart saucepan. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, over high heat, stirring frequently.

*Note: the lemon juice did not seem to be enough liquid to us (of course, this was our first attempt at this recipe) so we added a little fruit juice to facilitate boiling. I would be cautious not to add too much.

Add liquid pectin, immediately squeezing entire content from pouches. Return to a hard boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam, if necessary. (We didn't skim.)

Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 in. headspace. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars. Apply bands and adjust to fingertip tight.

Place filled jars in canner ensuring jars are covered by 1 to 2 inches of water. Place lid on canner. Bring water to gentle, steady boil.

Process jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid and let jars stand for 5 minutes.

Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Peel, pit and finely chop peaches.

Canning Slide Show

2011-08-16T18:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a cute little slide show from our mint jelly-making. Does it make you want to give it a try?

"How to Go into All the World"

2011-08-16T15:34:00.002-05:00

Great post by Ann Voskamp: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/08/how-does-a-family-go-into-all-the-world/

Jam, Jelly, Salsa & Scones

2011-08-15T21:47:00.016-05:00

Honey brought home about 9 peaches from work the other day. So....Katie and I made 7 jars of peach jam today. She is REALLY enjoying this. While we were waiting for the big pot to boil, she snapped some beans. She is so cute with her little apron on!

We only used 3 1/2, so I think we'll make another batch in a couple of days, after I go out and get more pectin and jars. (Though the 21st, Menards has $2 rebates on canning jars. Sadly, the limit is two per household.)

We also found a recipe for jelly using only the peels and pits, so I'm excited about being able to get "double duty" from these peaches. Katie is the one who suggested this -- that since we used apple peels for jelly, maybe we could do the same with the peaches. Ah! The joy of training a future homemaker! Still have a bunch of apple peels in the freezer and we'll get more when we go apple picking next month, so we can make loads more apple peel jelly.

Honey also said he'd bring more peaches home later in the week because I've asked him to make peach salsa for our trip to Indiana this weekend.

Doesn't this look fabulous?

The recipe is HERE. (Of course, he probably won't use this recipe. He's the professional, so he'll just throw it together.) If he brings enough, I may can some of it, but it might just all get eaten. :-)

I also found this recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Scones today, and I think I'm going to have to try that. I have two tubs of frozen strawberries in the basement. Most of that will make jam, but it'll be fun to bake with some, too.

Don't they make your mouth water?

P.S. This post included in the following link-ups:

Building our Homes Together

Warrior Prayers: 21 Days of Prayer for Boys

2011-08-15T16:23:00.000-05:00

What do you want God to do in the lives of your boys?

Do you desire that He cultivate the fruit of the spirit? Do you desire that they have a heart for the lost? Do you desire him to be a leader rather than a follower, yet still a servant?

Scripture is a clear guide of what we should be seeking for our boys.

Join me and other moms of boys on September 6 for

Brooke McGlothlin has a wonderful ministry to moms of future men and her book, Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys, will walk you through selected Scripture that we can pray for our boys along with thoughtful questions to help you as you step up your prayer life for your boys.

Go to her web site and sign up. I am going to try to blog about my experience, too. What better time to do this than as we start school up again!

In the End, It's just Stuff

2011-08-13T19:03:00.001-05:00

We were on the hunt today for a bike for Katie. I printed a route map of eight yard/garage/estate sales in our area. OK, I was pretty sure the estate sales wouldn't have a bike, but since we're in need of aviation mechanic tools, I included them on the list.

As I wandered through this man's house, with his children -- or perhaps the "professional estate sale people" -- encouraging me to take this, take that, "everything must go," I felt a sense of sadness.

The treasures in this house told an amazing story of a man's life. And perhaps the life of his recently deceased wife. I don't know the story, but it was sad nonetheless, to gaze upon a life's worth of possessions, which to the astute person showed the fruit of a full life, and to realize that all his belongings had "to go."

He (or she) was an avid photographer. There was almost every imaginable kind of camera -- except of course the modern digital variety. There were boxes and boxes of slides. There were slide projectors.

There were vintage movie cameras and old 8mm and reel-to-reel films.

There were vintage televisions.

There were boxes and boxes of vinyl LPs and 45s and, yes, even 8 track tapes. (I think we had one of Abba when I was a teen!)

There were stacks and stacks of repair manuals.

There were old Dr. Pepper bottles.

There were tables and tables of tools and hardware.

And all of this had "to go."

As we left, I became melancholy.

I know that it's just stuff. And I know you can't take it with you.

But I said to my husband, "This is how it ends. This is what our children will do with all of our stuff when we get old."

Katie heard me and said, "No we won't."

But I know better.

I thought about the life this man must have had. I don't know for sure that he was married or that he even had kids. Maybe he lived alone all his life and now can no longer take care of himself and has to move into a retirement home. Maybe his children have all moved away while he and his wife grew old, and now she is gone and they are putting him in a nursing home or moving him closer to them.

But I imagine them drinking Dr. Pepper out of glass bottles while the reel-to-reel projector plays some "new" movie.

I imagine him following his kids around the park or on family vacations with a variety of camera and video equipment. I imagine him returning home to his own dark room to turn that film into slides.

I imagine LPs on the record player while the family eats popcorn and remembers last year's road trip as the slide projector clicks from image to image to image.

I imagine him with his own TV and stereo repair shop. He learns how to repair his own cameras. He figures out how these new-fangled VCRs work. I imagine him realizing over time that the newer technology is so cheap to produce that people no longer need his repair services -- they can just as cheaply toss out the broken item and replace it with a newer model with more features.

Now the customers don't come, the kids don't come, and the wife is gone. And his life is for sale to the highest bidder. The price paid is pittance compared to the emotional value and the time spent and the memories created. Soon it will all be gone. What doesn't sell will likely be donated to charity or thrown in a dumpster.

Like I said, I know it's just stuff. But is the "it all must go" mentality a reflection of how much value is not placed on this man's life? Will the memories be gone just as easily as the stuff?

I sure hope not.

I Know...It's Crazy...

2011-08-12T18:55:00.000-05:00

...to even begin thinking about Christmas, right? Well, I'll give you until September 30th. But starting October 1, that's when we need to get in gear.

The 12-Week Holiday Planner has been an absolutely essential tool for me for the last several years. It helps me set a pace and stick with it, so that the holidays are enjoyable and well-planned and not frazzled and last-minute.

This e-book has lots of wonderful planner sheets to keep me on task and organized. And most of my lists can be re-used year after year after year. All the information I need is stored in the same binder that is pulled out next year and the year after so that every October 1 I can hit the ground running.

Check it out!

The Homeschool Mother's Journal - 8/12/11

2011-08-12T16:00:00.001-05:00

***Oops! I just realized the format for the journal has changed. I'll fix it next week, I guess. Though I will go and add "I'm reading..." to my entry.

In my life this week...
I've been suffering from a cough for about a week now. I stayed home from church on Sunday. Today, we drove an hour each way to exchange Katie's 1/2 size violin for a 3/4 size. I treated the kids to McDonald's (dollar menu). We swam yesterday and then dropped Gabe at a friend's. He is going with him to his grandparents' in Indiana for haul wood and clean out the garage and do other odd jobs for a week. We also made 12 jars of mint jelly from the spearmint growing prolifically in our front yard's garden bed.

In our homeschool this week...
As has been our summer pattern, we had a couple of days of studies.

I'm reading...
"One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. I'm needing to read this really slow because it is so deep.

Places we're going and people we're seeing...
Swam at Grandma's on Thursday. No violin this week. Drove to exchange the violin as mentioned above. Believe it or not, a free Saturday looms. Since we're short one child, don't know what we'll do.

My favorite thing this week was...
Dropping food off for a friend. God blesses us abundantly through my husband's work. You'd be amazed at what restaurants waste. What some consider trash can fodder, we are more than happy to feast on...and share with others.

What's working/not working for us...
The distance between us and everyone and everything we are involved with is NOT working. We pray God provides the means for us to move.

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...
I'm wondering how to squeeze it all in. I need to be better about following a "Managers of their Homes" schedule. Now is the time to re-visit it and figure out how to juggle the different subjects that need my one-on-one involvement, plus all the other tasks that need to be done each day.

We're also trying to come up with the money to sign Katie up for a homeschool orchestra.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

Building for Reynosa is a separate blog we've set up as we make plans for a family mission trip to the Texax/Mexico border in February. We are in the process of fund-raising and would appreciate your prayers.

Building For Reynosa - New Posts

2011-08-12T10:08:00.000-05:00

Friends, I've made a couple of new posts to our "Building For Reynosa" blog. We are so excited about this trip.

Please pray with us that God will make our trip possible if it is His will and that will receive the glory.

Enough About Us Already: Our American Protestant Obsession with Being Loved by the World - White Horse Inn Blog

2011-08-10T07:33:00.000-05:00

This is a really good article. We need to stop worrying what everyone thinks of us. Jesus said He would be a stumbling block. If we are living as He has called us to do, we will be persecuted. Remember the old set of questions: "Are you being persecuted? If not, why not?" Jesus said we would if we were His followers. This is a good reminder that it's not what they think of us that is important but are we living as God calls us to live, as disciples (talmidim) of Christ, and are we communicating the True Gospel with our lives. If we are, chances are they won't like us. But "it's not about [us]."

Enough About Us Already: Our American Protestant Obsession with Being Loved by the World - White Horse Inn Blog

"Baby Brown Eyes" (Beall Phillips)

2011-08-09T23:30:00.000-05:00

Love this!

Beall Phillips Shares on Baby Brown Eyes and the Beauty of Adoption from Douglas Phillips on Vimeo.

And this:

Rescued- Jim & Tracy Tsantles (Uncut Footage) from Wintons Motion Pictures on Vimeo.

"Love You More" by Jennifer Grant

2011-08-09T22:57:00.002-05:00

"Love You More" tells a mother's journey through adoption. It is an honest account of the anticipation and the frustration, the joys and the sorrows, the certainty and uncertainty, the emotional roller coaster that is all too common in the process of adoption.

The author and I come from apparently very different worlds. Based on things said in the book, she is very well educated, quite the intellectual, and a well-to-do suburban mother who seems to blend quite a few parenting philosophies and perhaps is somewhat ecumenical in her faith. I have no college degree and probably cannot philosophize with you on very many different topics. I am a city dweller (though not by preference) who has limited financial resources. And I am quite conservative in my parenting approach as well as fundamental in my Christian faith. These differences, which were repeatedly apparent in references and quotes and related experiences, were at times a minor road block for me in reading the book, as I often could not see myself in Ms. Grant's shoes. I just didn't feel like I could "relate" to her life.

Still, we desire to some day adopt, and her portrayal of that roller coaster ride was helpful to me in that it communicated very clearly that adoption, while it is inevitably a matter of the heart, must also be a matter of the mind -- a commitment, a thoughtful process, a time when many questions will be asked and answered, and the reasons for much -- if not all -- of what you do will be clarified.

**My thanks to Thomas Nelson publishers for a copy of this book to review.

Spearmint Spearmint Everywhere

2011-08-09T21:36:00.017-05:00

The flower garden plot in our front yard has been taken over by spearmint. A cou;ple years ago I had sprinkled some wildflower mix in the hopes of attracting butterflies and birds. I don't know if the spearmint was in that mix or not...but they have overtaken the entire flower bed.

I wanted to harvest some last year, but it never happened.

So the kids and I got out there today and pulled up about half of it. I should have really had a plan BEFORE I started pulling, but I honestly was just trying to clean up out there.

We started pulling the leaves off the stems and into a bowl, but as I was researching online what my options were, I realized that if I were drying them, it would be best to leave them on the stems.

Believe it or not, this dehydrator has been in the garage and we've even attempted to sell it at two yard sales. I pulled it out, not really sure it would work. It had never been used (after being purchased as some point by my brother-in-law).

It is working wonders. We have washed and patted dry about 2/3 of what we harvested, and then it is so easy to just pinch the dried leaves off the stems.

These dried leaves can be used to make tea which, as an herbal remedy has traditionally been used to cure headaches, fevers, and digestive disorders.

I also made a batch of mint jelly. I would have made more, but I only had one packet of liquid pectin, so I likely will go out tomorrow and get more. Isn't it pretty? HERE is the recipe I used.

Now that I've canned a couple different times, I feel more confident having Katie work in the kitchen with me, and she is excited about the possibilities of what can be preserved and saved or later or sold.

We still have quite a lot of plants, so by the time we're through, I should have a good amount of dried leaves and jars of jelly. I will sell the jelly, along with my apple peel jelly, strawberry jam, and blueberry jam at a craft fair in October.

It feels good to be able to use something that just "grew wild" in our yard to produce something so worthwhile.

Update: 8/10/11

The batch of jelly I made yesterday only yielded 4 jars, but we had pulled a bunch more leaves off the stems. I boiled them this morning and strained off the juice and, without thinking, tossed the leaves, which my dear son told me I should have pureed. Stink! Why didn't I think of that?! I had tried to puree a cup of leaves for this ice cream recipe, but honestly the amount was too small and the blender wouldn't do it. My thought was to freeze the pureed mint in an ice cube tray so that when we wanted to make a batch of ice cream, we could just pull it out of the freezer. So mad at myself. I will absolutely have to remember that when we harvest the rest of the mint from the yard.

P.S. This post has been shared on the following link-ups.

C. S. Lewis vs. Modern Education (Part 1)

2011-08-09T07:37:00.001-05:00

I'm not sure I'm "intellectual" enough to understand everything about this two-part series, but the part that really hit me was the what he says about "men without chests." We have (to use his words) castrated men and then we wonder at fathers who abandon their families, leaders in Washington who can't make hard decisions, a shortage of marriageable men, etc.

C. S. Lewis vs. Modern Education (Part 1)

Evolution Refuted

2011-08-08T07:17:00.005-05:00

Thought-Provoking

2011-08-08T07:11:00.000-05:00

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/where-children-sleep/?smid=tw-nytimes&seid=auto

This article on a book entitled "Where Children Sleep" includes a selection of photos from the book. What emotions did this bring out in you?

CurrClick 75% off Back-To-School Sale

2011-08-06T18:58:00.000-05:00

CurrClick is a great way to get quick curriculum downloads. And there are always plenty of freebies/samples available on their web site.

We have used the following items, available from CurrClick, and have been very happy with them:

Knowledge Box Central has lapbooks available for Apologia's science texts. We've used the Astronomy, Botany, and Flying Creatures. My daughter LOVES adding these colorful, craft-like projects to her science study.

We also love the Grapevine studies, which use stick figure drawing to teach the Bible. This is fun and interactive for the kids.

"Tears of the Saints"

2011-08-05T07:42:00.001-05:00

Dads, If You Have a Daughter, Watch This

2011-08-05T07:15:00.000-05:00

Wow! Powerful.

Dads, If You Have a Daughter, Watch This

Praying in the Whirlwind - Reformation21 Blog

2011-08-05T07:09:00.000-05:00

God is really speaking to me lately. Oh, that I could get away for a day or two for devoted prayer and Scripture time. I may have to schedule a few hours in a booth at McDonald's with my Bible, my prayer notebook (which unfortunately has been neglected lately), and my Diet Coke or Sweet Tea.

Praying in the Whirlwind - Reformation21 Blog

Setting the Table

2011-08-04T22:09:00.000-05:00

She gets so excited. She needs to find the tablecloth and the placemats and the napkins. I don't tell her that they don't really match.

And everyone needs real glasses to drink from.

Then she wraps the silverware in the napkin and ties it with yarn. Purple yarn. Hmm.

We need name tags. She means place cards. So she makes them out of construction paper.

And she always wants candles. Usually dad says no. There is no room on the table. She is disappointed. I can tell by the look on her face. "Next time," I say.

But I love the excitement as she bustles around, collecting all the things she needs for a pretty table.

And I love the gleam in her eyes when I compliment her on a job well done.

I encourage Dad to appreciate her efforts, even if half of the items have to be moved off the table to accommodate the plates of food. It is a somewhat small table and crowded room.

But she loves to do this. And I love that she is learning the art of homemaking, of setting a beautiful table, of showing love through small touches.

I think to myself: I need to set aside a few dollars, take her to Dollar Tree, let her pick out some placemats and napkins and napkin rings and other embellishments. We'll talk about color and theme and style.

Now I am excited. :-)

Journals for Sale

2011-08-04T21:49:00.000-05:00

My friend over at "Homestead Solutions" has listed my homemade multi-year journals on her Etsy site.

These are really cute journals. I like the flexibility. If you are a prolific writer, you can fill the whole card. But I also LOVE the idea of using it for multiple years. Imagine going back on any given day and reading what you did that day for the last five or six years. Just jot a little note about the day and move the card to the back. Beats keeping years of day planners, right?

Trusting

2011-08-04T09:01:00.001-05:00

Two posts that I absolutely needed to hear today (isn't it amazing how God leads me to these just when I need them most?!), and that I will re-read again and again today, also with selected Psalms (the one below is my favorite) that always help during times like this:

Half Empty or Half Full?
Effectual Worrying

Psalm 37

Of David.

¹ Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
² for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴ Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹ For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;
¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword
   and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
   to slay those whose ways are upright.
¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
   and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care,
and their inheritance will endure forever.
¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish:
Though the LORD’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.

²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
²² those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.

²³ The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

²⁵ I was young and now I am old,
   yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
   or their children begging bread.
²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely;
   their children will be a blessing.^[b]

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
²⁸ For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.

   Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed^[c];
   the offspring of the wicked will perish.
²⁹ The righteous will inherit the land
   and dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
³¹ The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.

³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
³³ but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

³⁴ Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a luxuriant native tree,
³⁶ but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

³⁷ Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
a future awaits those who seek peace.^[d]
³⁸ But all sinners will be destroyed;
there will be no future^[e] for the wicked.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
   he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them;
   he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
   because they take refuge in him.

P.S. I was greatly encouraged during lunch with a dear sister today. Prior to that, in the car on the way to my mom's, without having discussed any of my anxieties with my children, I heard dear Katie humming "Count Your Many Blessings." Perhaps God put that in her head to minister to my spirit. Also, tonight, I saw this post on the Desiring God blog: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/how-to-see-gods-hand-in-your-suffering

Oh for time to meditate on all this some more. It has been such a busy, busy day. But perhaps that too is a blessing in that it has prevented me from "wallowing." If I had ink, I would print these posts as we have another busy day tomorrow and I will be away from the computer. But still, Psalm 37 will be with me in my mind, and I can meditate on His promises.

"Why I Choose to Believe the Bible" (Voddie Baucham)

2011-08-03T08:46:00.000-05:00

This is a must-watch video, not only for you, but for your teens. They need to understand these truths before they go off to college or into the work world.

You can find an audio file and transcript of a similar presentation on ChristianAudio.com HERE.

How Big is Our Universe?

2011-08-03T08:09:00.000-05:00

I had no clue the Voyager travelled that fast!

Read the ENTIRE post here. Great info on the Voyager and the size of the universe, but don't believe the lie quoted by Carl Sagan.

For a Biblical worldview of the amazing size of the universe, scroll down in this post on my Weaver blog and watch the 4-part Louie Giglio videos. Show them to your kids. You'll be glad you did!

And if that still makes you feel insignificant, watch the Laminin video, also by Louie.

Douglas Bond

2011-08-01T09:36:00.002-05:00

We were just loaned by friends the first in Douglas Bond's second historical fiction series, "Guns of Thunder."

We are excited.

We thoroughly enjoyed his first series, the first of which, Duncan's War, I reviewed here. Then we quickly devoured the next two.

Douglas has a non-fiction book out about John Knox. And I am eager to read it. I have been enjoying biographies lately, and especially biographies about godly men and women. I think biographies are important for our children, also. They show how God has worked in the lives of real people, "warts and all," and they help to build godly character traits by example.

So we will add this to my wish list.

As a bonus, you can hear an interview with Douglas Bond conducted by Kevin Swanson on his Generations with Vision radio program.

More on "Divided"

2011-08-01T08:58:00.002-05:00

I enjoy following Tim Challies. But I was disturbed at his recent blog post about the film "Divided."

So I was really thrilled that Kevin Swanson took this on. You gotta love Kevin.

And here is Scott Brown's response with links to some really good resources.

Again, in response to other criticisms, Scott Brown responds HERE.

I think important in all the "stir" this movie has created is to maintain the unity of the Body on all things central to Scripture and show love and grace in non-essential matters.

"The Home Life" (excerpted from "Home Making" by J. R. Miller)

2011-08-01T07:59:00.001-05:00

1795 Detail. James Peale (1739-1741).

Artist & His Family.

Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia.

There is something infinitely more important than the mere performance of duties. There is an unconscious influence that hangs about every life like an atmosphere, which is more important than the words or acts of the life. There are many parents who fail in no duty, who are deeply anxious for their children and really strive to make their home what it should be, whose influence is not a benediction. When the results of life are all gathered up it will probably be seen that the things in us which have been made the deepest and most lasting impressions in our homes and upon our children have not been the things we did with purpose and intention, planning to produce a certain effect, but the things we did when we were not thinking of training or influencing or affecting any other life. A wise writer says, “I look with wonder on that old time, and ask myself how it is that most of the things I suppose my father and mother built on especially to mould me to a right manhood are forgotten and lost out of my life. But the things they hardly ever thought of – the shadow of blessing cast by the home, the tender, unspoken love, the sacrifices made and never though of, it was so natural to make them, ten thousand little things so simple as to attract no notice and yet so sublime as I look back at them, – they fill my heart still and always with tenderness when I remember them and my eyes with tears.”

It is not so much strict fidelity in teaching and training that is so powerful in our homes for holy impression as it is the home life itself. The former is like the skillful trimming and training of a vine; the latter is like the sunshine and the rain that fall upon the vine. The writer above quoted adds: “It is said that a child, hearing once of heaven, and that his father would be there, replied, ‘Oh! Then I dinna want to gang.’ He did but express the instinct of a child to whom the father may be all that is good except just goodness; and be all that any child can want except what is indispensable – that gracious atmosphere of blessing in the healing shadow it casts, without which even heaven would come to be intolerable.”

It is necessary that the whole home life and home spirit should be in harmony with the teaching and training, if these are to make holy impressions. Simple goodness is more important than the finest theories of home government most thoroughly and faithfully carried out. There is nothing in the daily routine of the family life that is unimportant. Indeed, it is ofttimes the things we think of as without influence that will be found to have made the deepest impression on the tender lives of the household.

Gabe's Home-Based Business

2011-07-31T22:07:00.001-05:00

Back when Gabe was in early elementary, we received a copy of the Vision Forum catalog. I think it was one of our first. And we've been hooked ever since. Anyway...in this catalog, they had a section that was devoted to encouraging entrepreneurship. We wanted to encourage this in Gabe also, and saw what we thought was the perfect solution -- a rather large gumball machine.

Little did we know that simply because we live in a mob-run, over regulated, politicians-on-the-take city, that starting a business for a young person -- or even for an adult for that matter -- was going to be so difficult. Gabe is now a senior in high school, and unfortunately we have made no progress.

But crunch time is here. He needs to find some way to bring in an income as he prepares to start college in another year and has added expenses -- a car, gas, a room to board, insurance, a computer, a cell phone...not to mention the cost of schooling itself.

Woodworking was something he had been doing for years at the local park district, until the boys there started getting a bit too rough. Still, it was something he enjoyed and over the years I have tried to encourage him in this way, by purchasing books such as this one...

But I'll be honest. I have trouble reading these plans!

We also bought him something similar to this one year:

To see how it works, go HERE.

A couple of the other ones I found (Easy Carpentry Projects for Children, for example) have projects that probably wouldn't have much of a market. You can make all you want, but if people don't want to buy it or find no value in it, you're wasting your time.

I think Gabe has been somewhat hesitant and needed a bit more hand-holding to get his creative juices flowing and his self-confidence built up.

So I found this project on FamilyFun.com:

Isn't it cute?

It's fairly simple. So instead of applying for a job at Menards, he's decided to finally get moving on making some woodworking items. (I think sending him off to work with an elder at our church has given him a bit more self-confidence and has turned him on to how satisfying work can be.)

He has eight boards cut, sanded, and marked. This week he will start painting. I'm kind of excited.

I think he's started to see the possibilities.

I also found this web site and I think it's going to be a great resource.

I've ordered two books from the library prior to buying, to see if they have any good projects:

We'll keep you posted and let you know when he has some items for sale!

"Thunder Dog" by Michael Hingson

2011-07-31T18:14:00.002-05:00

"Thunder Dog" is the true story of a man and his guide dog who miraculously escaped the destruction of the 9/11/2001 attack on America. But it is so much more than that. Michael takes us back much farther, to his birth and the decisions his parents made in raising him, decisions that would be criticized and challenged, but that would eventually give him a life that equipped him with the skills he would call upon to survive a descent down from the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center.

But it is even more than that. Michael takes the time to weave through his story some things we all need to know about blind people. He educates us, he challenges us, he encourages, admonishes and trains us.

Not only is this an absorbing tale of courage, but it is a manifesto of sorts -- a journey into the world of people like you and me who just happen to be blind. You will be encouraged to see physically challenged people in a new light.

A really good read.

**My thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishers for a copy of this book to review.

5 Essential Ingredients to Homeschooling Success (Guest Post)

2011-07-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

5 Essential Ingredients to Homeschooling Success

By Terri Johnson –
co-author of Homeschooling ABCs –

an online class for brand new homeschoolers

We’ve all seen it… or, at least, heard about it… the homeschooled child who wins the geography bee, or the one who graduates at the age of 15, or the one who excels in musical accomplishments…

Now, obviously, a student does not have to be homeschooled in order to accomplish one of the feats above, nor does every homeschooled child excel in such notable ways. However, every homeschooling parent desires for success in teaching their children at home and launching them into the world to become all that God has intended for them to be.

The flipside to this statement is that no one wants to fail when it comes to teaching their children at home. So, what are the five necessary ingredients to homeschooling success?

The first one is the desire to foster a closer relationship with each of your children and your kids with one another. If you don’t want to spend more time together and deepen these relationships (or, at least, want to want to spend more time together), then homeschooling may not be the best choice for you. However, I am sure that you have heard it said before that at the end of the day, no one is going to say, “I wish that I had spent more time at work… or by myself… or with my canary…” No, the universal regret that aging and dying people declare is their sadness over not spending enough time with their loved ones. Teaching your children at home is an amazing opportunity to spend more time with your dearest loved ones and have no regrets.

The second ingredient to homeschooling success is a teachable spirit on the part of the parent. This is essential because, like it or not, you will learn so much more teaching your own children than you ever did in school the first time around. So, you might as well like to learn.

On that same note, the third essential ingredient to successful homeschooling is creating a home environment that is conducive to learning. This may show itself differently in each of our homes, but the result is the same – a place where kids can learn and enjoy it.

A home that is conducive to learning may have quiet and cozy reading nooks, bookshelves crammed with great books, a listening corner complete with headphones and a beanbag chair, uncluttered smooth surfaces for writing, stacks of coloring/activity books and colored pencils, a place to gather together and talk about the day’s events. You get the idea… Create centers in your home that make learning fun and accessible.

The fourth ingredient for a successful homeschool is 2 hours of your time to devote to your children’s studies. Truly, when the one-on-one teaching method is employed in your home, you do not need all day in order to get things done. In fact, a child in K-2 grades might be finished with her schoolwork in as few as 45 minutes (of course, that probably does not include the time that you spend reading together because who can get enough of that!).

At the other end of the spectrum, you might not need that much time with your middle schooler or high schooler either, because they become such independent learners by this age. The kids that will need the majority of that time that you have designated for school – those full 2 hours – would be your students in 3-6 grades as math and grammar assignments might get a little more involved.

The final ingredient for homeschooling success is a library card. That’s right! With access to a huge roomful of books, a world of learning opportunities is at your doorstep. Let’s say that your child is interested in insects or flowers, electricity or magnetism, transportation or inventions… check out as many books as he can devour on the subject and then some more. Watch your child light up with the delight of learning.

With these 5 essential ingredients incorporated into your homeschool, you will experience successful learning in the lives of your children, because this is the measure of success – children that love to learn!

Enjoy those learning moments…

Terri Johnson

Co-author of Homeschooling ABCs – an online class for brand new homeschoolers. Don't let self-doubt, or lack of experience, rob you of the best first year possible! Sign up for class HERE or click the graphic on the right sidebar.

Cookbook Sale

2011-07-30T10:48:00.000-05:00

I just listed a large amount of my chef husband's enormous cookbook library for sale at my Half.com store. Yes, he knows about it. [grin]

He was convicted recently during our meeting with the missionary couple we'll be working with in Reynosa in February to "lighten our load" so to speak, to throw off those things that hold us down.

Please check out my Half.com store HERE.

"Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest" (Chuck Black)

2011-07-30T09:09:00.002-05:00

Caution! Danger! If you pick up this book, you won't set it down until you're finished! I got next to nothing accomplished for two days!

Again, I've thoroughly enjoyed one of Chuck Black's allegories on Scripture. These books bring Biblical principals to life in such an enjoyable way. I think I enjoy them almost as much as the kids do.

Sir Rowan takes you through parts of Revelation though its absorbing tale of Sir Rowan. I do highly recommend using the study questions in the back, as I unfortunately didn't catch on to the parallels until almost the end. Also, the thought provoking questions will help you apply the lessons learned in the story. I also would suggest trying to read this series in order, and, if possible, integrating the two series of books together. The Kingdom Series and The Knights Series merge together to cover one time period, but the Kingdom Series was written first. The Knights books fit in between the Kingdom books.

I hope there are many more books to come from this author!

Please take a moment to rank my review. You will be entered in a drawing for a free copy of this book!

**My thanks to Waterbrook/Multnomah for a copy of this book to review.

FREE - Watch Disc 1 of the Family Economics Conference DVD

2011-07-29T16:14:00.001-05:00

A Biblical Economy - The Opportunity of Our Century from Kevin Swanson on Vimeo.

Far Above Rubies: Modest Apparel for Women and Maidens

2011-07-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

Far Above Rubies: Modest Apparel for Women and Maidens: "'Her clothing is silk and purple' - Proverbs 31:22 Amelia's Aprons April Cornell Baker Lane Biblical Garden Christa Taylor Christ..."

Ravi Zacharias: Finding my Destiny in Dehli

2011-07-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

"How do I find meaning and purpose in life? Meaning that is so powerful that I don't need a high for it to be powerful, and no amount of low was going to take it out of my mind."

Finding my Destiny in Delhi Part I
Finding my Destiny in Delhi Part II

John Stott, The Expositor, Sent at a Crucial Point in My Life

2011-07-28T07:12:00.000-05:00

I haven't read any of John Stott, but I realized that, like John Piper, I was grateful for expository preaching. I'd been without it for so long, and now it is as he describes....a house that is all window. For the last year and a half, since we left the church I grew up in to go to a family integrated church, we have sat under expository preaching. And I am constantly amazed at how our preaching elder gets "those five points" out of 2 or three verses! Thank you, God, for giving us windows!

John Stott, The Expositor, Sent at a Crucial Point in My Life

Publish Post

Map Trek Outline Maps

2011-07-27T23:01:00.000-05:00

Don't you just LOVE blackline maps? But don't you just hate trying to find just the right one on the internet?

Map Trek is a set of blackline masters in e-book format that you can print over and over and over again!

There are four world history books

Map Trek: Ancient World
Map Trek: Medieval World
Map Trek: New World
Map Trek: Modern World

Any of these would greatly enhance the hands-on learning of any period of history. Individually they sell for $14.95 each.

But now you can get an incredible deal!

If you buy all 4 in downloadable e-book format together, you will get a great deal PLUS the 2-e-book US Edition set for FREE! That's 6 e-books for less than the 4 World History books alone! A total of 465 maps! A savings of over $30!!!

To make these maps even EASIER TO USE, Knowledge Quest has created a whole set of FREE Curriculum Integration Guides, so whether you use Ambleside Online, Streams of Civilization, TruthQuest or many others (with more guides to come soon!), you can use these maps to add life to your study of His-Story.

I'm eager to add these to our studies this year. How about you?

*Links included in this post are affiliate links. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Should Have Read this Earlier

2011-07-26T17:44:00.000-05:00

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/07/why-is-it-hard-to-be-patient/

I should have read this earlier....before we started our subtraction math facts worksheets. We were doing them orally because we're out of printer ink to make copies. The boys seem to struggle making the association with the corresponding addition fact. And I IMPATIENTLY think they should have these down by now so we can move on.

"Take up [my] cross." Yes, patience is my cross. The willingness to wait.

Yes, I should have read this earlier. I should have thought to apply Scripture to my impatience.

"Love is patient."
"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."
"Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly."

Oh, Lord, forgive me.

John Piper Interviews David Platt

2011-07-26T14:56:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed reading "Radical" by David Platt. It was a "shock" to me that he was so young.

He share some good thoughts here about discipleship and Scripture memory and our "stuff" and bringing God's glory to bear in the whole world.

A good listen.

John Piper Interviews David Platt

Ray of Hope

2011-07-26T10:49:00.000-05:00

Powerful Post

2011-07-26T07:57:00.000-05:00

I know I post a lot of links here and not a lot of original work. I seem to be in this stage of my life -- in the throes of teaching little ones to read and do basic math, struggling to keep afloat and keep caught up -- that there isn't a lot of time for personal reflection. So while many of my posts are not my own writing, they are my attempt to keep myself growing and challenge and encouraged. If they do that for me, I hope they do that somewhat for you.

http://www.brookemcglothlin.com/2011/07/a-b-%E2%89%A0-c-a-parenting-equation/