Saturday, August 22, 2009

Proverbs 22:17-21

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
So that your trust may be in the Lord;
I have instructed you today, even you.
Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
That you may answer words of truth
To those who send to you?

Yet, another good reason to have the Word of God hidden in my heart. I want to be able to share God's goodness, mercy and truth to those who come before me. God, help me as I strive in this goal to become closer to You!

Friday, August 21, 2009

Why Scripture and Bible Study are So Important

2 Timothy 3:15-16
....and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Acts 17:11
These were more fairminded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

I Peter 2:1-2
Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

I am choosing the following verse as my theme verse for my life:
Psalm 86:11
Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.

This verse is the goal for my life....I have such a long way to go!
Titus 2:3-5
the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things - that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.

I have such a long way to go! The Word of God has been washing over me lately and I feel like such a new person :)

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Some Thoughts

God's holy Word is an instrument He uses to guide, comfort, correct, rebuke and teach us.
When we love God with our mind and commit His Word to memory, He uses those pieces of Scripture as instruments for our growth in Him. When we store His Word in our mind, God draws from what we know and uses just the truth we need......at just the time we need it.....and in just the way we need it!

Elizabeth George
Loving God with All Your Mind

I just finished the above book during my quiet time today and found this to be an important truth. I hope that it encourages you, like it did me, to find time to hide God's word in your heart.
Have a great day!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Today

As I look out my window I see: grass in the front yard and it looks like rain

Sitting next to me: a glass of water and Sadie my cocker spaniel

I hear: the sounds of the washer and dryer - and Sadie licking herself!

I smell: nothing really

I am reading: 2 Samuel, Loving God with Your Whole Mind (Elizabeth George)

Projects I am working on: quilted tote bag, knitted hood, decluttering the house

What I am looking forward to: a trip to the zoo

I feel: content and happy

Almost Time for School

This year, those words send dread to my heart.

Usually I love the beginning of school. New books, schedules and things to learn (yes, I am a nerd!). This year, school means that Lee gets on that big yellow bus at the end of the driveway. I don't like that......not one little bit.

I am attempting - for myself and the sake of the rest of the family - to control my emotions and steer my attitude in a direction that will lead to JOY. So, here is a list of things I am thankful for this year..........

1. I still have Greg and Bear at home
2. Lee will know his bus driver in the morning and many of the kids at school already
3. We have orientation tomorrow night so we can meet all the teachers
4. Lee and I can't argue anymore about how much work I assign
5. Greg is very excited about school this year - he gets to pick science topics :)

For school this year - Greg is in 4th grade. We will be using Sonlight Core 4 as our spine for history/reading/read-aloud/Bible. We are jumping off the Intermediate Language Lessons wagon (although I still love it!) and giving Writing Tales a try for language arts/grammar. All About Spelling (Greg is on book 3) and Italic Handwriting round out Language arts. Greg will be finishing up Saxon 3 and moving into Saxon 4/5 sometime around Thanksgiving. For science we will begin studying penguins using Hands of a Child's lapbook as the jumping off place.

I bought a cute little science experiment book for ages 3-12 about creation. I am hoping to occassionally have some stuff from there to use with Bear. I am also setting up tot-boxes (like tot trays except with no tray). You can see how that works HERE. So far, I haven't set up much in that area and I really need to get to work on that....my heart just hasn't been in it this year.

So, I think that we are ready for school :) Lee is ready and I am ready for the waiting to be over with....lets just get it started and move on . Prayers for the 1st day (Friday 21st) are appreciated! Have a great day!

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Getting ready

As always, we were busy this week. Monday - Wednesday was the usual stuff (cleaning, taekwondo, dietician). Thursday the boys and I had dental cleaning and Norman did some car shopping......we found a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan that we loved but the price was a little high. Then we had lunch on the go and made it to Newton to register Lee for school. Then back to Effingham for Taekwondo and Lee's birthday dinner at Ryan's (a week early).

Friday, Mom, Bear, Lee and I went shopping in Mattoon while Norman and Greg went fishing. The day ended with a very grouchy Bear and an exhausted me. Saturday we got up bright and early to go to Newton and get football equipment. Then to Effingham for groceries and school supplies shopping. Then home, where I spent the afternoon suffering from grouchy kids and a migraine. Bear wouldn't nap and we both collapsed in bed sometime after 7. I feel better today.
As a side note - don't go to walmart on a Saturday! I almost always shop on Monday afternoons so I didn't realize what a mad-house Walmart is on Saturdays. It was packed and Bear wasn't the only kid in there screaming at the top of his lungs. It was miserable.

School supply shopping is expensive! I have almost hit the dollar total for each kid on what I have spent on Lee for school registration and supplies. While homeschooling, I spent about $500 a year for both kids. So far, for Lee, I have spent $70 to get him registered and first 20 days lunches and another $150 in school supplies. And I spent another $50 on clothes the day before for him. Throughout the year will be more money for lunches (or extra grocery money for lunch from home). I think it will end up costing me more to send him to school than homeschooling ever did! Not to mention the increased sports (that cost $$$) and extra curricular activities (that cost $$$). I am wondering if I should just send them my bank account number??? Crazy stuff. Unless you qualify for reduced rates, lunches, etc. it is NOT cheaper to send them to school. It might look that way, but it isn't.

Today we are heading to church. I am hopefull for a quiet afternoon at home. Maybe everyone can be in a good mood today!