Where Do You See Joy?

God has been helping me see so many new things in so many new ways lately.  He has been prepping me, growing me and guiding me to those things that He would have me do.  One thing though that He always does, even when that growing and changing happens, He always shows me where the joy is.  

I find it in many things, in many ways.  One though that is constant is through the love of my daughter.  She is incredible and an amazing gift from God.  I am truly blessed to call her my girl.  I love you Muppin!

The Road Less Traveled By

"Do you realize what you are doing?  You are going to ruin your child.  She is going to grow up without any real view of what the world is like!  She is going to be awkward and isolated because of what you are doing.  She is going to have difficulty fitting in, being happy, being loved, loving others. She is going to grow up not knowing what all the other kids know.  She is going to grow up not experiencing what all the other kids experience.  How cruel.  I can't believe you are going to subject her to that.  My heart breaks for her."

Those comments I have heard more than once, by more than one person.  Most don't bombard me with those things all at once but they do come.  I am a Christian.  I am also a Christian who has decided to homeschool.  And to some one those things is bad enough but to add the other means I must be some radical racist who must be hiding in my bunker just waiting for the end of the world.  I guess there is some tiny bit of truth mixed in that comment.

I am a Christian and I am radical... for the things of Christ, for my family, for people.  Christ loves us with such a radical love that he went all the way to the cross.  So I love Him regardless of the backlash I receive, even if it is from the very family I love so much.  I love my daughter so much that after she suffered abuse at the hands of another student (you know, that thing called bullying) repeatedly and suffered physical injury, and I watched her get terrible migraines at school whiles suffering emotional injury, and I watched her learning creep to a stop because of mental injury I could do nothing but remove her from that situation.

I didn't make this decision lightly, I did as much research as I ever have for anything I have ever done.  And if you know anything about me, then you know I tend to research something more than I probably need to. As I did my research all those comments listed above grew smaller and smaller and all the positive things that I found grew more an more.  See I didn't look into homeschooling because I was a Christian, though many Christians do homeschool.  I looked into it because I loved my daughter more than I love myself and though the thought of homeschooling terrified me and what that meant for the next who knows how many years I wanted what was best for her.

I saw the statistics and how most homeschoolers are much more well rounded relationally because they learn to talk to all walks of life and ages in everyday life.  They are not stuck in a classroom with a bunch of kids who are only their age.  They know how to deal with younger, same age and older people.  They have no fear of another age population which is sometimes rapid among kids.  I saw that their stress levels were much lower but their test scores were so much higher.  Their suicide levels, teen pregnancy levels,  drug abuse levels, as well as other risky behaviors were all much lower, because their families were a tighter unit, not because they didn't have the opportunity.

Since becoming a homeschooler I have seen that most are much more active in the community, in fun activities, in exciting opportunities most kids can't get because they are so busy with school and homework it leaves little time for anything else.  Most excitedly I see that they are free to explore their passions, become what they hope, dream and desire to be without being forced into a direction they would never desire to go.  

Just as Robert Frost did when he was homeschooled, he decided to follow the road less traveled and became an incredible poet, one of the countries most beloved.  And it was his homeschooling family, particularly his mother, Isabelle that inspired him to be a poet because of the rich literature they read on a daily basis in their homeschool environment.

I will continue to follow the road less traveled because I love my God and my family.  I am happy to hear those comments from others who don't understand and will always show them through actions that what they fear for my child, is what they will someday marvel at because they just did not understand the fruit that would come from the road less traveled.

 

(The above was written for Free Write Friday using what is called stream of consciousness writing, no editing, no proofing just write!,  [ Writing prompt ~ Talk about a time you took the road less traveled and the differences it made…] Please check out Kellie Elmore's blog  for more information on Free Write Friday's, twitter hashtag #FWF and join the fun!  Just write!)

What Will You Do?

Tragedy struck today in a small town in Western Washington.  It was heartbreaking and made me reflect a great deal and think about my reaction to things around me.

As I made my way into town for a homeschool meeting, sitting on a mound in front of a public school was an elderly man.  I had seen this man before in the area and thought nothing of him really.  As I drove by him though, something was different, he was glaring at each and every car that drove by.  As we drove by he lifted his hands and pointed his fingers at us as if shooting a gun at us, silently moving his lips to mimic the sound of a gun as it is fired.

I was slightly disturbed and ask the Lord to help him but then moved on with my morning activities, not giving him another thought.  I mean, he was just an elderly man who probably had too much to drink or was just in a grumpy fowl mood.  He wasn't doing anything other than giving people dirty looks.

On my way home from my day's events I neared the school again, yet this time I was not allowed to pass.  I asked the man and police officer that was standing there on the side of the road if there had been an accident.  He replied that there was some old man running around with a gun shooting at people so the police had the area blocked off.

I was stunned and with my daughter in the back of the car I turned around to go the long way home and immediately began to pray.  I was praying for the safety of all involved and that the man would be stopped without anyone being harmed.  My mind was surely focused on this event and how close we came to being in harms way.

When I got home I decided to post about it on Facebook so that people would pray for the situation and quickly found out that the man had been killed because he had fired at the police and they had no choice but to fire back. 

My heart was broken.  It was broken for a man who had probably lived in his little house for that last 50 plus years with a wife and children.  Children that grew up and might have no longer visited because life is just too busy and dad is just too grumpy.  The thought of his death and what his family might be going through ate away at me and the thing that hurt most was that my spirit was convicted, deeply convicted.

How many times do we see or sense something is off and we move on without another thought, and if we do pray it is a quick cursory prayer that we did out duty.  It was a quick prayer so we weren't really bothered by it and the time it was take to really pray over the situation?  I was convicted.  This man was hurting and lost.  He was not in his right mind and I knew it and I had a bad feeling when I drove by him yet all I prayed for was that the Lord would help him.  Did I really mean that prayer?  Or did I say it out of that place inside that says, "I am supposed to pray!"  Not because my heart was moved to share my worries with the Father.

It was a great lesson to me.  It made me think of my everyday situations.  Do I ask the Holy Spirit to help me to know WHAT to pray?  Or do I just plow forth with no concern with what God wants?  If I had taken that time the Spirit might have touched me and asked me to pray for something very specific and it might have been something that would have made a difference.

I am not saying I am responsible for this man's death.  He died because of his choices and it is extremely sad.  But I am responsible to do exactly what the Lord calls me to do, and I think that would include praying for the lost and hurting, praying for this man.  The Lord LOVES HIM!  The Lord was grieved by this event today. 

What will you do next time you are given that check in your spirit that something isn't quite right?  Ignore it, throw a vague prayer out there, or turn to the Father, ask the Spirit to guide you and thank the Savior for giving you the ability to always have access to them for all your needs.

My First, My Last, My All

First, I was going to make this a 3 part series but I just couldn't do it.  I didn't want to hold off on any parts in fear you may not come back and finish, leaving you with only part of the truth.  So forgive me but this is long.  :)  My God pressed upon me to share and so share I have done.  Grab your coffee or water and let yourself see what the Lord has for you today.

Our pastor, Pastor Jon Cobler, spent about 3 weeks talking about that thing that most people hate to hear about the most in church, money and tithing.  Most of us when we hear a preacher on TV or in the pulpit tend to tune out when it comes to hearing about “our money” and what we are supposed to do with it, in particular, tithing.

I must admit that there were times in my early years of marriage that I didn't want to hear those sermons either.  They were always labeled with "supposed to" statements and comments riddled with guilt. As if I didn’t already feel guilty enough!  We may not remember the exact words used but we sure remember how they made us feel.  And that impression can surely sower a person to the concept of tithing very quickly. 

I have always wanted to know how the tithe is truly to be looked at since there is a difference between the Old Testament Covenant & Law and New Testament Covenant & Grace.  I am not happy to just be spoon fed and I love to dig deeper and find the truth in the midst of all the laws put upon us by modern day Pharisees.  So this study was perfect.  Of course a lot of what I will be sharing with you is revelation shared by my pastor, but it wasn’t shared by me until I spent the last couple weeks going over every verse he gave us as well as reading much more on the subject that I came to the conclusions I am sharing with you now.  And the conclusion I have come to is that I am to give Him my First, my Last and my All.  Let me explain.

I have been a faithful tither for many years but what does it really mean?  Is my idea of faithful the same as the Lord’s?  Are my reasons for tithing the right reasons?  God clearly tells to us to give with a cheerful heart. 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  Then there are these questions… Do you tithe before taxes, after?  Do you tithe on money you make on tax returns, interest earned?  You know… these are all the questions that will help you to justify keeping more of "YOUR" money and give God less.  How silly considering that all we have is only given to us because it was HIS to give to us in the first place.  We wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for His grace, mercy and love.  He is surely the true Cheerful Giver.

So for me it was wonderful that Pastor Jon really went deep into Old & New Testament and showed us a more meaningful and Godly way to look at tithing.  Let’s look at some things I learned and I pray that it will touch you the way it touched me.  First we will look at the Old Testament then the New Testament. 

OLD TESTAMENT (Testament means Covenant)

Definition of the Biblical word Covenant: 

• The conditional promises made to humanity by God, as revealed in Scripture.
• The agreement between God and the ancient Israelites, in which God promised to protect them if they kept his law and were faithful to Him.

In the Old Testament according to the promises made by God to man, men were to give their first-fruits and at the end of a harvest give 1/10th (or a tithe) of the full amount that they made.   

First-Fruits ~   At the time most people were either farmers or shepherds or a mix of both.  For farmers it meant the first crop that was harvested went directly to the Lord.  For shepherds it meant that the first born was given as a tithe. 

The Tithe ~  For the tithe, at the end of a harvest for the farmer they would gather all they harvested and give 1/10th of that harvest over to the Lord.  For the Shepherd it was the same, whatever they owned at the end of the year they gave 1/10th of their livestock.

The Tithe was put in place to protect God's people from their own greed.  By worshiping the Lord with our tithes then we are keeping God central, instead of our things.  Think about it, how many of us put our things first?  Would we give up our stuff for HIM?  Would you give up your big screen TV to feed children that are homeless?  God may not be asking you to, but if He was, would you?  Or do you worship those things more than you worship God?

The tithe was also to pay for the ministry of the priests and Levites (Numbers 18:21).  They continually did the work of the Lord and therefore could not work outside of the ministry of the Lord to make money.  This helped them do what the Lord asked as well as sustained them.  It was also used for celebrations through specific feasts (Deuteronomy 16:16-1717). 

Another use was to provide a resource for those who didn't belong to the church, as well as for widows and for orphans (Deuteronomy 26:12).  It was to be used this way so that the world would see how generous the Lord’s people were and know there was something different about them and come to know our Lord.  It was to help provide for those who couldn't provide for themselves, the lost, the broken, the hurting.  That is the true heart of God.  

So, do most of us tithe like that today? Do we give to the poor, widowed, and orphaned?  Do we care more about showing the world who God is through our love for His creation, or do we horde our belongings as if we acquired them all on our own?  As if we could!!  All we have belongs to HIM!  Shouldn't we at least give Him true praise by offering back to Him some of what He has already given us?  Just imagine… would there be one hungry person if every true believer tithed the way the Lord asked?  I think not.

I think many are good at giving the tithe (1/10^th) at the end of our paycheck.  But what about honoring Him with our first?  And as far as the tithe goes, do we really honor him with a full tithe, or are we always looking for ways to hold back even there?  I know my worries sometimes push me to think about how much better it would be with that extra 10%.  However the real truth smacks me right between my eyes before I can get too far with that thought.  I know that without a doubt we should not be able to make ends meet right now.  Things keep breaking down and we keep trying to figure out how to pay for things.  But we do!!! That is because our God is taking care of our needs when we honor Him with what is rightfully His.  

NEW TESTAMENT (Testament/Covenant)

In the New Testament Jesus made things easy, the definition of the quantity of our tithe is...

EVERYTHING!

In Romans 12:1-2 Paul writes to tell them/us to "present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."  In the New Testament we are to start with everything we are.  To me that means all our money and things, as well as our time, and deeds.  Giving of our money is difficult but we recognize that as tithe.  Sometimes giving of our time can be just as difficult.  Again we are selfish, we need our “me” time and heaven forbid if we don’t get it.  When that person at the grocery store starts a conversation with you are you loving them back by conversing with them, or hurrying away so you can do that next thing on YOUR To Do list instead of thinking maybe that person was on God's To do list?  And deeds, will you clean your neighbor’s house when they have that surgery?  Will you fix the washer when your mother-in-law is too poor to call someone else to do it?  Will you spend that extra time with your child when they are craving you, or will you once again tell them you are busy?

Jesus made it clear that in order to be a believer of Him, we needed to confess our sins, turn from them and to follow Him.  If that is the case, following Him needs to mirror His life.  Jesus gave away more than He ever received.  He cared for everyone, the disciples, the followers, the unwanted, the poor, the widowed, the orphaned, the tax collector, the prostitutes and even the Pharisees...  What one of those categories do you fall under?   It doesn’t matter, God Loves YOU!  And as a follower of Christ, so should I!

I believe I am a disciple of Christ, therefore my accountability is much higher than most.  And what I may have not known before this sermon is now before me and I will be held accountable for what I choose to do or not to do in light of this new information.  I don't want to stand before my Father and have him say, "Why didn’t you give my love to everyone you met?"  I believe my sins are absolutely covered by the blood of Jesus, but I must first confess, then I must repent.  And that means I must do my very best to do things the way they should be done according to His Word, not my wishes. And not because my works get me anywhere, but because I love Him and want to live for Him the way He wants me to.  

Love is in the midst of it all.  1 Corinthians 13:1-3  goes on to say that if you do all these wonderful things in this world, but have not love than it is for nothing, and profits me nothing.  Can we truly say we are tithing because we LOVE?

So where do you fall today?  Do you tithe?  How much and why?  Is it out of obligation or out of worship?  If it is the first, I task you to sit and think and pray with the Lord to change that.  Take your money before you tithe in your hands; tell the Lord how grateful you are for the opportunity to give back to Him.  Thank Him for all He has done for you.  Then offer up your tithe, your time, your hands and feet.  Show him that you love Him by listening to Him and finding out how He wants you to be used today.  Make your whole life a living sacrifice to Him who died for you, for He is so faithful to you regardless of your obedience.  

I have been doing this and sometimes I have cried, pouted and gotten angry.  But it was only because of what I found in my own heart…  Selfishness, fear and pride.  After many hours of prayer I am honored to say that I choose in love to give Him, my glorious Father… my First, my Last and my All.

Homeschool Mother's Journal 13

IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK...

This week was kind of a blurr I would say.  We are finishing up a few little things for school and trying to enjoy the couple of 60-70 degree days that we have had.  This Spring has been so cool and wet that when we have a sunny day we just can't seem to believe it!  We love it and wish it would last a bit longer.

IN MY HOMESCHOOL THIS WEEK...

This week we went to the WHO (Washington Homeschool Organization) Convention and enjoyed looking at so many different teaching tools!  However, if you don't go with a plan it is sure to be overwhelming.  That is what happened to us last year (my 1st year homeschooling) and I wasn't sure I ever wanted to go back!  But this year I kind of knew what I wanted and was glad that I had prepared because it went much better than expected.

I came home with the Language Arts and Math curriculum that I had expected too plus a Bible study curriculum I wasn't planning on at all!  I am doing a lot of Notebooking next year so I wasn't looking for curriculum for Bible, History or even Science.  My plan is to get a lot of library books, read, learn, and write about what we learned, draw about what we learned and who knows what else.  But just have fun doing it without textbooks!

So when we came upon this Bible curriculum I was amazed to say the least.  It is called "The Picture Smart Bible" (TPSB) and it is so much fun!  TPSB is a see, hear and do program that uses all parts of the brain, creating a learning experience that is much more deeply seeded and memorable.  It would take me way to long to explain so I hope that you go to their website here and read up on it.  It is truly amazing and I am hoping to do a write up on them in a completely different blog post where I can be more complete in my explanation. I am so excited to do this with my daughter, but as well as for myself!  Our whole family is doing it together!  You can see a picture of the Book of Daniel that you create together to tell the whole story of that book in the Bible.

Great videos about the Picture Smart Bible~  Click here!

I AM GRATEFUL FOR...

My life group women at church.  Life group is the same as home group for some churches I suppose except we do not have a specific Bible study we do.  We get together each week and just read the word of God together and talk about what we received from it.  It is also a place where we can be ourselves, receive wisdom, friendship and love that Christ tells us to show towards each other.  The ladies in my group are just amazing and I am thankful for each one of them.

I AM PRAYING FOR...

For our debt to be paid and an increase in funds so that we can do all that is on our hearts to do for the Lord!

Oh!  And Happy Summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Homeschool Mother's Journal 12

IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK...

This week we have been home a lot, which is nice.  We have been catching up on school work and I have been catching up on much needed blogging, doing a book review, creating a Proverbs study and getting organized in more than one area of my life!

I was able to go to a brunch yesterday with some ladies from my Bible study group and what a blessing that was.  God is so good when He puts Godly women in our lives to share your dreams, excitements and worries with.   God is good, all the time!

IN MY HOMESCHOOL THIS WEEK...

We are running around trying to get things done.  We have about another month of school left before we are done and that is if we work hard!  My Muppin wants to be done so she is doing a great job helping out and still getting great grades.  I was never a straight A student, but she sure is.  I do have to work on her perfectionism though, it can be a bit unhealthy, especially if she gets something wrong.  I am constantly telling her that no one can get everything right and she is doing a great job.  Then she quickly reminds me, "No one can get everything right except Jesus, right mom?!"  That's my girl!  Find a way to bring it to Jesus and be right at the same time. LOL

HELPFUL HOMESCHOOL TIPS OR ADVICE...

NEVER do school work at 3:00 in the afternoon!  Just DON'T DO IT!!!  ;)

I AM INSPIRED BY...

I am inspired by our Pastors, Jon & Fawn Cobler.  He is an amazing man of God with a vision for himself and our church that is out of this world and I truly believe he is changing our church from one of some doers and many sleepers into many doers and just a few sleepers.  And watch out sleepers because we are coming to bring you on board with us so you experience the joy of the Lord in a way that you never have before.  Pastor Jon is not only an amazing Pastor, but also an amazing example of a husband and a dad.  We are blessed to have him!

His wife Fawn is a pure blessing for all the women at Living Water.  She is soft spoken, but not in the least bit meek.  She has power behind her words and wisdom to match.  She is beautiful on the outside but that pales in the comparison to who she is in Christ.  She has a real love for the women of our church and our community and it is an honor to have her lead us.  She is an incredible wife and mother and her fruit shows in her children.  They are a family after God's heart and that alone is a true blessing.

PLACES WE ARE GOING AND PEOPLE WE ARE SEEING...

We are going to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium today! We are super excited.  They have baby Clouded Leopard cubs (Chận sung and Suksn) and we are hoping to see them while there.

We are also excited to watch "Captain Adventure vs. Dr. Do-Nothing: The Quest to Get Outside!" in the Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater.  It should be a blast.

QUESTIONS / THOUGHTS I HAVE...

Have any of you done Notebooking?  I have just started researching this and it seams like a great thing.  If you do it, how extensive are you with it?  Do you just do it with some subjects, or all?  I would love some feedback!

THINGS I AM WORKING ON...

I am working on my writing.  Learning, reading and writing.  Making the time to do what I love!

I AM PRAYING FOR...

I am praying God shows up in our finance and everyday life in a supernatural way!  I know he can!

A PHOTO / VIDEO / LINK / QUOTE TO SHARE...

When we got to go to Northwest Trek last week, we were able to make friends up close and personal with a couple racoons.  Here is one of them.  Isn't he a cutie!

Book Review "Keeping His Way Pure" by Tammy Wollner

Keeping our kid's way pure is difficult at best.  We are in a spiritual battle.  "Many of us live each day as if we are in natural circumstances, when in reality - the trying circumstance that appears in the natural is a war being waged in the supernatural."(Tammy Wollner)  The fight for us and our children and our purity is supernatural. 

I loved reading this book and Tammy makes it clear that, "We as Christians need to wake up each morning, put on the armor of God mentally and spiritually, and be ready to do battle with Satan at any point in our day. Most of all, we need to train our children to practice this." (Tammy Wollner) I could not agree more.  We have a difficult enough time doing the right thing without a war raging around us.  Add to our own weaknesses and disillusioned desires, plus the desires of the enemy, and we can never go without our armor.  His Word needs to be buried deep within our hearts so we have the ammunition needed to fight the sworn enemy of our soul.

Keeping His Way Pure addresses how this can be done with a great four step plan.  Psalm 119:9 says, "How can a young person stay on the path of purity?  By living according to your word."  That is where Tammy's four steps come in.  The steps are easily laid out and give great pictures through experiences of what each step would look like.  I also like that these things are not just her thoughts on what needs to be done, but that scripture is pulled in many times to show that it is God's word not hers that shows us how to live a pure life.

Along with the four steps Tammy offers sections for when the steps are not working and spiritual warfare.   We all know that even if we do all the things that are right by God's standards, things can still go wrong.  Our kids have a mind of their own and a will of their own.  And this book doesn't forget about that and leave you hanging if the four steps don't work.

What I like most is that while this is written specifically for son's, it can be used for our daughters and for our own lives.  Everyone is called to live a pure life and all of the things taught in this book are excellent things to do for ourselves as well as our daughters and sons.

This book was a great blessing and wonderful surprise.  I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to make sure their children grow in the Lord and live a life of purity in all things.

I was asked to do this review and though I was given this book I was not paid anything for my review.  This review is truthful and honest and given freely.  Thank you so much for the opportunity grow and learn while reading this book.  It was a pure blessing, God Bless.

Proverbs Study

I am part of a homeschool group in my area and sometimes those ladies have some of the greatest ideas!  One of the ideas on the site was about a Proverbs study one of the families did.  I fell in love immediately and decided that it was something that we were going to do.  I thought I would share about it here.  I have added some of my ideas to the study that I didn't see in hers and hopefully you will have some to add to mine.  If you do, please share! I am always looking for more fun ways to learn.

First I looked up the book of Proverbs online in the version I wanted to use.   I chose New King James but you can do any version.  When you find it the hardest part is next, copying it and pasting it to a Word document and then formatting it to look how you want it to look.  This can be a little time consuming but well worth it when it is done.  I chose to separate each Proverb with a page break.  So Proverbs 1 is on two pages, Proverbs 2 on 1 page, but no two proverbs are on the same page.  I made sure it was an easy to read font for my daughter who is 7, then I printed it out.  It was about 60 pages so it was a lot of printing.  I recommend that if you have more than one student to print the first one and then get the rest copied or your ink will dry up fast.  It is ideal for each child to have their own.

Then I put the pages into a 3 ring binder with some lined pages behind each Proverb.  I made a cover page for the front of the book and then we were set and ready to start learning.  The only other things I made sure to have was my Bible and my Muppin's Bible, so my Muppin could see it was truly from the Bible, dictionary, drawing paper, pencils, crayons, markers, construction paper, glue and scissors.  We are going to get creative!

Now comes the fun part!

We are reading 1 proverb a week meaning that everyday we start out by reading the proverb that we are focusing on for the week.  This is great for them to practice their reading skills and gives them a chance to get better at the reading.  I then pick out a verse for us to memorize that week from that proverb (as she gets older, or if she gets excited about one in particular she will pick it out). We just started our study yesterday so our Bible verse is Proverbs 1:8-9.

As we read we are picking out words she doesn't know the meaning of and looking them up in the dictionary for the definition.  We are then choosing a couple words a day that she will learn to spell, they will often be the same as the word she is looking up in the dictionary.  Then we are writing out the same proverb we are memorizing for penmanship practice

One of the most fun things we are doing is picking out a part of the proverb to create a picture, a visual story board, or some other form of art about.  It can just be drawings or it can be something that is cut out and created, such as a shadow box, or other type of art.  The idea is to let creativity run here and to help them get the real meaning down in the heart in a way that kids really get it.  It is so much fun too.   Below is a picture my Muppin did about Proverbs 1:8-9.  She has the dad telling her to be kind, the mom telling her to be loving and because she is obeying she has a crown (or ornament) on her head and necklaces (or chains) about her neck.  She will be coloring it later, she was tired :)

Lastly, depending on the proverb, we are adding some history about the times and how they relate to now in an effort to make it more applicable to today for her.  We have The Archaeological Bible and that is a great resource.  Crosswalk.com has some great ones too with their Bible Study Tools.  I highly recommend them and they are totally free!

All in all, it is so much fun.  After our Proverbs study is done, we are doing the book of Ester, my daughters favorite.  What other ideas do you have that could be added to round out this study?

 

This Week's Journey

IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK...

Last weekend we had a lot of family visiting so our school took a little back seat for a few days.  It was great having my mother and father-in-love visiting.  They are such a blessing to us and especially to our little Muppin.  I can't imagine a world without them.  On Mother's Day we got to go to Northwest Trek again.  It is quickly becoming one of our favorite places and we are starting to feel as if we are getting to know the animals.

IN MY HOMESCHOOL THIS WEEK...

This week we just hunkered down on Wednesday to make up for a couple days for the schooling we missed earlier in the week.  Muppin was awesome and did a great job.  She amazes me how well she does when she wants to.  Of course the important word there is "she."  But isn't that true of us all!

I AM INSPIRED BY...

I am truly inspired by my mother-in-love Shirley.  She is an amazing woman.  She has had many things she has had to struggle through in her life yet she still perseveres and pushes through and is determined to have the best life possible no matter what happens.  She is a dear and truly lovely woman and I am so honored to be married to her son.  God is good!

MY FAVORITE THING THIS WEEK WAS...

Getting things prepared for Muppin's first dance recital coming up in a couple weeks was the highlight of my week.  She has been working so hard for this and to see how happy she was to get her dress and learn how to do her hair and makeup was fun. Of course we need to reassure her because the perfectionist in her wants to be perfect.  She is 7, she is perfect enough just the way she is regardless of how well she does.  But seeing the glow in her eyes, priceless!

I AM GRATEFUL FOR...

Homeschool... I would not have the chance to spend so much time with my Muppin if it weren't for homeschooling.  She is a pure gift from God and a pure joy.  I am blessed beyond measure.

A PHOTO / VIDEO / LINK / QUOTE TO SHARE...

Over Mother's Day my husband's parents were able to visit us and while here they were able to go to Northwest Trek with us on Mother's Day and this is a cute picture of them and my little Muppin!  I love that trio!

 

Spring Sunshine Cancels School!!

The last three days have been totally filled with amazing sunshine and 60 and 70 degree days!  Today it happens to be 77!  We have been in the 50s for a long time and have only had a couple nice days until this weekend and I am for sure in heaven.  

We have even canceled school today (you can do that when you homeschool *wink*) to have a play day with good friends!  We thought we better since the sun is leaving us again tomorrow for another rainy spell.  But our Muppin has made great use of this outdoor weather and has spent most of her time in the sun.  

She got a frog this weekend as well!  That is another story.  His name is Hoppy and she got him from Church of all places.  Well, God sure has a sense of humor because I could have gone the rest of my life and not owned a frog!  LOL

What do you do when you have nice days and the weather has been generally yucky?  Do you cancel school and play?

Here is our precious little Hoppy! 

Homeschool Mother's Journal 11

IN MY LIFE THIS WEEK...

This week has been very busy indeed.  We started it out by going camping last weekend for my birthday and it was fun.  It was on the cool side but we did have sun and the rain did not find us until we packed up and went home, I am grateful for that too! I love my family so much and what better way to spend my birthday than out in the woods, just us and peace and quiet!

IN MY HOMESCHOOL THIS WEEK...

I still struggle with what I am going to do with my daughter for homeschool.  I am using Lifepac right now and it is a great program but still doesn't feel right.

I have been reading a homeschooling blog this week called Sprittibee and it has been such a blessing to me.  She is part of a blog series called "10 Days of Homeschool Series - A group Venture" and she is doing her series on "Accidental Homeschooling" and it is perfect for me at this time.  And because of her I am seriously looking into a mix of unschooling, unit studies and book work.  I know, right!  How crazy of a mix is that!?  But here is the thing.  My daughter is a very creative type person, just like my husband.  And for her, sitting and working in a book for a long period of time is just not fun.

I am thinking of continuing with Lifepac for one or two subjects, not sure yet.  If I do it will be math and language.  But I am not sure if I want to use books for the language or teach her through unit studies or by other means.

Then I am thinking of using some unit studies that really speak to my Muppin's desires and dreams that were created by Amanda Bennett (If you haven't seen her stuff, go to her Pinterest page, there is a lot of awesome stuff.  Just click her name).  One of the first studies we will do will be on horses.  Muppin longs to learn as much as she can about them.  

Then I think we are going to do a lot of unschooling for the rest of the subjects.  I plan on reading a lot of history and science stuff to her as well as getting those books in shorter forms that she can read for herself.  I know am getting Apologia's Exploring Creation with Astronomy, which is another passion of my daughter's.  Yes I know that isn't unschooling, but we will not be regimented about it, but let her learn at her pace and she will have fun with it.

With that I believe our second grade year will be a full one, regardless of the fact that I don't have one style of teaching that I am utilizing.  How awesome is it that we can cater to our kids learning styles in this way!  And because of that I think she will thrive and not be bored in the least bit. 

If any of you have any other great options or ideas then I would love to hear them as well!

HELPFUL HOMESCHOOL TIPS OR ADVICE...

Follow the heart of God for your children, He will never steer you wrong!

QUESTIONS / THOUGHTS I HAVE...

How did I become more busy than I was when I had a full time job that I worked 60 hours a week at???  

I AM GRATEFUL FOR...

Other bloggers out there that encourage us all and make me believe I can do it too!

A PHOTO / VIDEO / LINK / QUOTE TO SHARE...

This is from our visit to Northwest Trek!  It is amazing to see all the wildlife up close and personal in their own habitat, yet remain safe!  This tree was huge and several hundred years old.  Of course Muppin had fun posing!  Have a blessed week!

 

Operation Solid Lives

It has been almost 2 weeks since my journey of Operation Solid Lives (OSL) ended.  OSL is an intense decipleship program offered by our church, Church of Living Water. (http://www.livingwater.com/)  Boy what a journey it was!  I can't tell you completely what it has meant to me but I will try to do justice to how it has impacted my life.

OSL is one of those things that makes you want to pull your hair out at times, and at others weep with appreciation and jump with joy for the relationship that is forged with our Lord because of it.  Let me explain.

When Mark and I first started OSL I was excited to start a new study and journey.  They encourage couples to do it together which was exciting for me but Mark wasn't as eager as I was.  Don't get me wrong, he wanted to do it but he went with me more because I asked him and he is an awesome husband and loves me.  Like I said I was excited, until we got there and were greeted with a couple of unexpected realities. 

The first reality was that we would NOT be sitting with each other.  Now, I was partially excited to do this because my hubby and I would be together!  We haven't been able to do anything together in quite a while and I was looking forward to spending time in a group getting to know others with my best friend.  When we walked in though and looked for our name tags we quickly found out that our seating would be at separate tables, Mark with men and me with other women.  Our smiles and anticipations both sank.  Oh well, we would sit as close as we could and try make the best of it.

The second was the rules.  Lots of rules!  Mark and I are not exactly the best at being consistent with structured kinds of things.  First there was only 2 hours of TV, movies, reading or music a week unless it was Christian music or teachings.  That seemed to hurt most people but what got me the most was the Bible verse memorization.  I do not memorize easily.  There were a lot of things we had to do such as reading certain chapters in our bibles every day, journaling, listening to teachings, coming to all of the meetings, attend the church services and sit in the first 3 rows (which I still don't get).

I wasn't feeling the home teachings so much (good teacher, just long and repetitive at times), neither was I enjoying the sitting in the first three rows (we are back third of the church sitters.. lol) but as I said above those bible verses were just not my friend.  I was trying so hard to memorize them and as I tried I would get one part mixed up with another verse or just go blank.  I was really beating myself up until my 4th class, when I visited my coach and ended up in tears over it.  She quickly reminded me that I don't have to be perfect, that I have only to try and that it was more important that those verses got into my heart!  What a relief that day was because the expectation of having to recite my un-memorized verses was taking over every thought and ruining my days.  I was reminded that there is "NO condemnation in Christ Jesus!" 

Well, I was almost on my last week of OSL and I was proud of my accomplishments of journaling and reading and even memorizing some of my verses but didn't really feel there was this huge change in me that I was expecting, until April 5th. 

My dad died on April 6th, 2001 and on the 5th I was reflecting on that time.  As I thought about it pain and tears welled up inside of me.  I thought about the time that I spent in Idaho taking care of him (he was unconscious most of our time there), and the time that I read the bible to him hoping he would hear me and turn to Christ.  Most of all I thought about my last moments with him before we left to come home because we had to go back to work.  I said good bye and we drove our 8 hours home and the next morning I got the call, he had died.

My heart was stricken with grief by the fact that I wasn't there when he died, I left one day too soon.  The grief was overwhelming wondering if my dad had accepted Christ before his death or not.  As I cried I felt fear and panic rise up in me.  I had to do something, and I found myself thinking frantically, "I have to find my bible, where is my bible, I just need to read my bible and I will be ok!"    Those thoughts stopped me dead in my tracks.

In the past if I was hurting so much that panic would arise I would run to food, the TV, movies, or other self destructive activities, but that day, for the very first time I was running to God's word!  Life itself!  It hit me, the last 3 weeks of OSL had infiltrated so deep into my spirit that running to God was my hope, not the things of this world that did nothing but hurt me.  I had hope in my Christ, in His Word, and in the Life I knew it would give me.  I was not feeling a lot the first three weeks because I was storing up what God wanted me to be able to use in the future.  I was storing up HIS HOPE!

When I ran to the Word, God didn't stop the pain, but He did stop the panic, and how grateful I am for that.  Realizing I can feel pain without falling apart is a huge thing for me and I am so thankful for my church for offering OSL because I don't think I would have this hope otherwise.

Was OSL the best thing I have ever done?  I don't know.  But what I do know is that without it, I wouldn't be where I am today and I couldn't get to the places I know God will lead me to in the future.