Starving!

 I had a moment today when I thought perhaps I didn't want to be a homeschool mom any more.
 At least, not to a stubborn red-headed six year old.

 At 11:30 he told me he was starving. Since he hadn't finished his breakfast until 8:30 I knew he wasn't going to die. I told him when he finished his handwriting we would have lunch.
 All he had to write was the date and the verse of the week:
 Monday, August 27, 2012  "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved. Acts 16:31"

 It was printed for him. All he had to do was write it below, to practice his letters.

 But for some reason, some small voice in the back of his head declared "Don't do it."

 I told him that he couldn't eat until it was finished.

 He wrote "Mon".

 Canaan and I ate lunch.

 He got up and wondered around the room.

 I fussed at him to get back in his seat.

 We had a staring contest, in which I insisted that I really was the boss, and that he was not going to eat until he did was he was told. Even if he was "Starving".

 I called his dad and left a voice-mail.

 He finished "Monday"

 I called my mom and nearly cried.

 He wrote "Aug"

 It was now 1:30...

 2 hours!!

 He hadn't eaten. He hadn't gotten any other school done. I was so frustrated with him that I had gotten very little done with Canaan.

 My mom had my dad call and encourage him, but first she encouraged me.

 You see, I was so busy being frustrated with him, insisting that he obey, feeling like he was defying me...  I had forgotten to take the time to sit and listen to him.

 Perhaps that first 15 minutes really was simply rebellion. But when I sat with him I discovered that he was upset because his M was crooked. And he felt he had started on the wrong line, and now his u was not the right shape.

  He let his frustration compound until he wasn't in control of his emotions anymore.

 We erased the whole thing and started again.

 A clean slate.

 Working together we had it done in less then 10 minutes.

 He wasn't the only one who learned a lesson today.

 I was reminded that we all have moments of stubbornness. We all need a clean slate sometimes. And when we are willing to listen to the guide who desires to help us the work is so much easier.

 Why is it that my children end up teaching me just as much as I teach them?

 As last week's verse said, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23 We are well aware of that one.

And next week? We are working on the letter C. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Eph 6:1

 We'll take that one on when it comes!

 For now, that power struggle has me exhausted. Time for bed!

 Blessings,

End of the season

We have had a busy summer season of T-ball. Lots of time on the road, but what fun!

 Zion had never played ball, of any sort really, so this was very needed so that I could feel less like a failure as a mother.

These pictures were taken over the course of the "season", so they come from lots of angles, but you can see the fun!

 Ready to play

 Look at that beautiful hit! 

And he's off...

Waiting patiently for the ball to come his way. 

Canaan took this picture with his camera. Didn't he do a fabulous job?!

 I love this picture because you can see Andy coaching 3rd in the background. Sometimes at this age they need reminded to move on. That was supposed to be Andy's job. However, he introduced himself to each child, learned their names, and soon they really enjoyed him. By the end of the season they would be out there chatting with him at 3rd and we would have to yell from the dugout, reminding him to send them on home. So funny!

 I am pretty proud of this picture. A full half of them looking, and (mostly) smiling, at the SAME TIME. This took work!

 I love this picture of little brother from down the street running the bases during "warm up".

He was a riot to add to the dugout. 

You see...

 one adorable mommy friend...

 and a very full dugout...

made for a very busy set of mommies! 

What fun we had!

 All done...

We didn't have a super turn-out for the end of season pizza party

 but the ones we did have 

 were very proud

of their awesome medals!

I hope your summer is winding down nicely. 

We certainly finished with a last hurray!

I love being a mom. 

Blessings, 

Does it exist?

 So many words, so little time.

 The school day is calling, and the children can't focus without direct interaction, but this verse has stood out to me two days in a row.

 "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things." Phil 4:8

 There is lots out there that isn't. And sometimes we have to take hold of it and "deal with it". But it doesn't have to be our focus. Seek the good my friends. Seek and ye shall find...

Blessings, 

Accountability

This post is to preach at myself. Honestly.

 But for some reason I can't let it go, so perhaps writing it out, and knowing that you are holding me accountable will make me.

 God clearly told us to forgive. In fact, when Peter asked him if he should forgive seven time Jesus told, "not seven, but seventy-seven times". Which I actually think means as many times as it takes.

 So, telling someone that you forgive them - or perhaps forgiving them in your heart because they never even knew they upset you - that should be natural for a Christian. Over and over again.

 But sometimes it's not easy.

 Andy has not been careful with his words lately. Honestly just stupid stuff. But over and over until I have felt like a failure. In everything.

 Canaan has noticed, of course. Because he notices everything. He brought me the comics on Sunday - pointing out one in specific he thought I would like. It truly was slightly ironic in it's timing.

 And little reminders, like the comics, or some other not well planned words have kept me either angry or hurt for almost a week now.

 But yesterday I did a lot of praying about it. I remembered that...

1) I am not perfect either (surprise!)
2) He is going to say stupid things over and over (and over) for the rest of time. And I am always going to love him. So I need to just get over it.
3) I can't say that I forgive him, and then not truly do it. That is lying.

Psalm 19:14 says "May the words of my mouth (Andy) and the meditations of my heart (me) be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

 They are both held equally. Me thinking grumpy thoughts was not cool.

 And then today's Bible reading said, "He who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:11
 I am pretty sure I have been exalting myself by being the "hurt party". Because, of course, I have never hurt his feelings, right?!

 But, I suppose what helped the most last night was Andy putting on some old cheesy '80's music and "singing" to me. He loves me too.

 Those words, although perhaps the worst sounding of them all, were also the most beautiful.

 I can promise you that words will continue to be spoken in this household. So, as long as there are words there will be some that praise, some that heal, some that excite, some that promise and sadly, some that hurt.

 That is just the way of words.

 What matters now is "the meditations of my heart". I'm feeling positive right now. What is it about confession that brings healing to the soul?

 God speaks through Isaiah saying, "So is the word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (55:11)

 We can only attempt to mimic Him. May our words always serve, and accomplish what He desires.
 And when they don't, let's remember that He forgives. "I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemes of men will be forgiven them." Mark 3:28

 So, here I go. School to teach. T-ball to make it to. Toilet's to clean. And somewhere along the way, supper to cook. So I suppose I need more then just the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart. I need every movement of my hands also seeking to please Him too!

 Please, keep me accountable.

 May your day - full of words, thoughts, activities (and perhaps toilets?)- be pleasing unto Him too!

Blessings, 

A donkey's back

This morning I was reading the book of Joshua. Now, it is well known for the story of Jericho. Walk around the walls. Play the trumpets. Watch the walls come down. And, because mercy is one of my gifts, I always like to remind people about the saving of Rahab. Key point to the story, as she is part of the family line to King David.

 But I am getting off track. Once you get past the story of Jericho, there is very little in there that is exciting. Lots and lots of it is names. A record book of which tribes got which parts of the promised land. And I must admit that I sort of skim it. The names of towns sort of blur together in my head.

 But a few little side notes stuck out.

 Caleb, Joshua's right-hand man had been given a prime area. Some of it however was still overrun with the enemy. So he promised in marriage his daughter, Acsah, to the man who could conquer that area. Othniel won, and Caleb gave him not only Acsah, but some land also. Good deal, right? I suppose so if you lived back then.

 But here is the part I found interesting. Acsah, Caleb's daughter, wasn't satisfied. She had a husband, and some fields, but she wanted more. So she went to her father. It says that "when she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, 'What can I do for you'?"

 I am sure Caleb loved his daughter. He made a man prove himself worthy before she married him. I am sure they kept in touch. But he didn't ask what she needed until she got off her donkey.

 How often do we expect God to give us what we need, what we want even when we should be satisfied, when we won't even get off our donkey? Unlike Caleb, God does know our every thought. He is aware of what we think we need. He is aware of what we actually need. And He will take care of us.

 But sometimes if we will get off our donkey, (and perhaps onto our knees?) we might be able to more clearly hear Him say "What can I do for you, my dearest child?"

 Acsah says "Do me a special favor"... and Caleb grants her wish.

 God doesn't always give us our wishes, or the "special favors" we ask for. Because sometimes it is not the right time, yet.

One of my best friends recently had to be told no, over and over again. And it was confusing. But she realized that God sometimes, like Abraham with his only son, asks us to lay it all out there and be willing to sacrifice everything.

 I don't know where you are. Maybe you are forgetting to get off your donkey. Maybe you are in the middle of so much sacrifice that you can't figure out how God can fix it.

But let me leave you with Joshua 21:45 "Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."

 He had promised them the land. They moved in with joy. They had to fight for it, and obey Him sometimes in scary situations, but every promise was fulfilled.

 Every one.

 Anyone know what Acsah's request was? Springs of water.

 Not a bad request, really. I, for one, am always glad to have some springs of living water flowing through me.

Blessings, 

Only in America

I was without internet, again, for over a week.

 I truly don't know what to think. Last summer it was the location. Or at least we could blame it on the location- bottom of a hill, new subdivision, lots of construction still going on. But, just in case, we went with a different company when we moved here.
 This summer, it is simply annoying. It eventually required a repairman coming out, which Andy had to fight to get for free, and it was water in the satellite dish.
 Sigh.

 But, I still wrote, even when I couldn't post. So, even though it is 11pm and I have a weeks worth of other people's blogs to read, here are a few thoughts I had during the last week:


We had “eat whatever was leftover” night not too long ago.

 There were some tortillas. A little chili. And joy, joy, at the back of the fridge a pack of brats that had been hiding.

 Only in America can you have a chili brat tortilla.

 I think sometimes we don't appreciate enough the convergence of, like food, the beliefs, societies, and histories that creates America.

 I am one, whom some call a snob I suppose, who can trace my family line back to well before the revolutionary war on both sides – with some Native American mixed in according to some - but so far back that I wonder if that is more family folklore then fact.

 Andy's great-grandparents came here from the Ukraine, with their children, to make a better life. Andy's grandfather, the youngest of the crew, was the first in their family to be born on American soil.

 His other three grandparents have residence here that goes back longer – (much longer!) with almost definite relation to the Creek tribe.

 But here is the thing: my children are not 1/8 Ukranian. They are not some small portion Native American. They are not the British that my dad's dad has traced his “original bloodline” to.

 They are American. Citizens of the United States of America. Part of the most amazing, beautiful mixture of culture imaginable.

 I will have to admit that portions of this country's thinking are not to my liking. I really think that Jesus is the only way to salvation, and true life. Lots of people disagree with me. I really think that people should share what they have willingly, not have it taken by force. Lots of people disagree with me. (on both the taking by force, and the being willing to share) I really believe that when God told Adam and Eve to take care of this earth He meant it. And just because they got kicked out of the garden doesn't mean we are supposed to be uncaring about the rest of creation. Lots of people disagree with me... or at least don't take the time to care.

 But this country is different then any other. That old nickname, “The melting pot”... I really want it to live up to that!

 So, Chili Brat Tortilla's? They make me happy.

Chow down!

Blessings,