Tuesday, February 19, 2008
It Really Happened
We "closed" on our cabin in the woods on Monday. That afternoon we went to work hauling out bag after bag of household items that the former owner felt, I guess, had no value to them any longer. We've cleaned and scrubbed and began painting. Water pipes had to be fixed and Praise the Lord the hot water tank as well as the pressure tank for the well were able to be put in working condition. This was another answer to prayer. The working condition of these two tanks were questionable when we bought the place. The Lord has answered many prayers and directed our steps to bring us to this place. Our lives are in His hands. We look forward to what He has for us in this new "frontier." Due to the upheaveal in the next few weeks of moving, this will probably be my last post for sometime.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Simple, Country Living
This is the house we made an offer on for thousands less than the asking price. It was accepted. It is being sold "as is" so there is lots of work to be done to it, trash to be removed, etc. The house has around 1500 square feet. We are waiting on the bank and all the legal details there.
The creek and woods
The house is located on 8 acres. There is a creek with a waterfall and lots of woods waiting to be explored by three boys and two girls.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Life Update
As most of you know, we have been out of pastoral ministry for the past six months. As of yet, the Lord has not led us to another pastorate. Consequently, we feel that we need to provide more stability for our family besides renting an apartment on the campground. This means that we will be looking to buy a home. This decision was made after much prayer and seeking God for direction. Over the past weeks and the weeks to come we have been and will be jumping through the hoops of realtors, banks, appraisals, etc. We are trusting the Lord to lead us each step of the way.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday
Monday-a day when everything goes wrong; kids fight, the homeschooling mom feels like the kids never will learn, the laundry grows into mountainous proportions and dirty dishes line the counter and overflow the sink. If you had a dog, it would wet on the carpet, if you had a cat it would tear down the curtains. I'm sure you get the picture. Mondays seem to come to all of us.
"I'm too tired, I don't wanna get up, it's cold in here." These words are not conducive to starting out a day right. After much encouragement, discipline, breakfast and prayer the day seems to get better for this student.
Copying a final copy of a research paper, a science test and fractions all combined together seem to overwhelm the next student. Mr. I Can't knocked and was welcomed. His buddy Mr. It's Too Hard came with him. Dealing with another errant student sets the homeschooling mom on a downward trend. The laundry gets behind, dirty dishes litter the counter and the preschoolers turn the clean living room into a maze of books and toys.
The third student, after being instructed in English is left to choose indefinite pronouns that agree in number and gender with its antecedent. While Mom is busy with another student, a new book received the night before beckons. The book wins and he begins reading, leaving the pronouns to agree with the antecedent of its choice, not his.
After completing a good amount of work with the younger student, Mom comes out to find not too many of the pronouns and antecedents agreeing. Realization is not long in coming. Though the student is busily working, the guilty book is lying alongside the schoolwork. When charged with not fully concentrating on English, but playing around, tears come and soon Mom is wearing the blame because, "she never listens and adults just don't understand." The "dressing down" he receives (and rightly deserves) is taken wrong because unbeknownst to Mom a guilty conscience had sent the student back to work, leaving the enticing book bereft of its reader. So feeling wronged because of the "dressing down" received when he had quit reading and began working, when he was trying to do right yet received no commendation for that right choice, the student invites Mr. Attitude to be his companion.
Mom is at loss to understand why homeschooling is acclaimed to be so wonderful and wonders if teaching will bring learning as a result.
Plodding along, moment by moment, listening to spelling words, explaining Phylum Arthropoda to one and the intricacies of magnetism and electricty to another, sees a bright spot when a 97% is received on one test, a 98% on another and 100% on a worksheet of another.
Maybe, just maybe we'll make it through the day. But Mr. Attitude and Mr. It's Too Hard crashes the "party" again. Measures are once more taken to rid the students of these unwelcome guests.
One student finishes their allotted schoolwork and happily runs off to help the preschoolers wreak havoc on the rest of the house. The other two students and Mom continues to plod through the remainder of the schoolwork. Another student finishes and soon Mom hears, "Come look what I made!" and what to her wandering eyes should she view but a maze of string, boards and a box.
Refraining from saying, "What's this mess?" Mom listens as her son explains how the string is the wire, the boards are the telephone poles and the box is the transformer. Inside the box is hung the coiled wire that will produce electricity. A generator is built out of tubs and string, and a sub-station is added. Mom leaves the maze of string, thinking that just maybe her teaching isn't all for nothing.
School is finally completed, and supper is fixed and partaken of somewhere admidst the fray. Dishes need done, laundry needs to be finished, folded and put away. Rooms are cleaned and sanity in some semblance returns.
Thinking on how to make the next school day work better, the bad parts of the day seem to re-live themselves over in Mom's mind. Inadequacy returns and all positive aspects of the day seem to fall by the wayside. Dad steps in and students are "made to see" schooling in the proper light. Apologies and promises of change are given. Hugs and love are shared. One little boy whispers, "Mom, you're not the one to do everything wrong. I've been wrong and want to turn my life over to Jesus."
Now that can redeem even a Monday!
"I'm too tired, I don't wanna get up, it's cold in here." These words are not conducive to starting out a day right. After much encouragement, discipline, breakfast and prayer the day seems to get better for this student.
Copying a final copy of a research paper, a science test and fractions all combined together seem to overwhelm the next student. Mr. I Can't knocked and was welcomed. His buddy Mr. It's Too Hard came with him. Dealing with another errant student sets the homeschooling mom on a downward trend. The laundry gets behind, dirty dishes litter the counter and the preschoolers turn the clean living room into a maze of books and toys.
The third student, after being instructed in English is left to choose indefinite pronouns that agree in number and gender with its antecedent. While Mom is busy with another student, a new book received the night before beckons. The book wins and he begins reading, leaving the pronouns to agree with the antecedent of its choice, not his.
After completing a good amount of work with the younger student, Mom comes out to find not too many of the pronouns and antecedents agreeing. Realization is not long in coming. Though the student is busily working, the guilty book is lying alongside the schoolwork. When charged with not fully concentrating on English, but playing around, tears come and soon Mom is wearing the blame because, "she never listens and adults just don't understand." The "dressing down" he receives (and rightly deserves) is taken wrong because unbeknownst to Mom a guilty conscience had sent the student back to work, leaving the enticing book bereft of its reader. So feeling wronged because of the "dressing down" received when he had quit reading and began working, when he was trying to do right yet received no commendation for that right choice, the student invites Mr. Attitude to be his companion.
Mom is at loss to understand why homeschooling is acclaimed to be so wonderful and wonders if teaching will bring learning as a result.
Plodding along, moment by moment, listening to spelling words, explaining Phylum Arthropoda to one and the intricacies of magnetism and electricty to another, sees a bright spot when a 97% is received on one test, a 98% on another and 100% on a worksheet of another.
Maybe, just maybe we'll make it through the day. But Mr. Attitude and Mr. It's Too Hard crashes the "party" again. Measures are once more taken to rid the students of these unwelcome guests.
One student finishes their allotted schoolwork and happily runs off to help the preschoolers wreak havoc on the rest of the house. The other two students and Mom continues to plod through the remainder of the schoolwork. Another student finishes and soon Mom hears, "Come look what I made!" and what to her wandering eyes should she view but a maze of string, boards and a box.
Refraining from saying, "What's this mess?" Mom listens as her son explains how the string is the wire, the boards are the telephone poles and the box is the transformer. Inside the box is hung the coiled wire that will produce electricity. A generator is built out of tubs and string, and a sub-station is added. Mom leaves the maze of string, thinking that just maybe her teaching isn't all for nothing.
School is finally completed, and supper is fixed and partaken of somewhere admidst the fray. Dishes need done, laundry needs to be finished, folded and put away. Rooms are cleaned and sanity in some semblance returns.
Thinking on how to make the next school day work better, the bad parts of the day seem to re-live themselves over in Mom's mind. Inadequacy returns and all positive aspects of the day seem to fall by the wayside. Dad steps in and students are "made to see" schooling in the proper light. Apologies and promises of change are given. Hugs and love are shared. One little boy whispers, "Mom, you're not the one to do everything wrong. I've been wrong and want to turn my life over to Jesus."
Now that can redeem even a Monday!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Opportunity
When Hudson Taylor was faced with problems, he was known for saying,
"Now we have an opportunity to see what God can do."
What a way to face the problems in our lives!
"Now we have an opportunity to see what God can do."
What a way to face the problems in our lives!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Thou Knowest
"O Lord thou hast....known me.
Thou knowest...
Thou understandest...
Thou compassest my path...
Thou hast best me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me." Ps. 139:1-5
What comfort we can take from this thought. God has known us in the past when life seemed unruffled. He knows us still amidst the changes of life. He understands. He guides our path. He surrounds and protects us with His hand.
As I was thinking on the vast knowledge of God I was drawn to the book of Job.--To be honest, the book of Job has always been a confusing book to me. You never know when Job's friends are speaking the truth as God sees it or wrapping up the truth of God in their wrong opinions. I turned to chapter 38-41 where God is speaking. I knew that I could rest on the words of God.
In these chapters, God declares Himself the Creator of the universe. His knowledge is presented to us in questions. He cares about and is involved in every intricate detail of creation. He is in charge of the forming of rain and snow, He created the beauty of the sunrise, directs the movements of the constellation, and He attends to every aspect of nature. The animals, as well, have the assurance that God Himself is their Creator and He is the One that cares for them.
By the beginning of Chapter 42 Job realizes that the wisdom of God is far above his own. We can never expect to know all that God knows. That includes the plans God has for our future and the "whys" of the trials we face. In verse 2 Job states, "I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be witholden from thee." The first part of the verse is self explanatory. God can do anything. After studying the latter portion I found that it means, that no purpose of God can be withheld or stopped.
This same God is the One that knows us. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. We need to let God be God. Let him have complete control in the guidance of our lives. He'll direct our lives, care for our woes and protect us from danger. If He directs all the intricate details of nature so perfectly, isn't He big enough and wise enough to plan each detail of our lives? He has a plan that may be hidden from our eyes, but we can trust His heart to fit all the raveled ends of our life into a beautiful design. I rest my heart and life in the hands of my all-knowing God.
Another cool thought that can tie into this subject of the knowledge of God is found in Psalm 8:4 "What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that thou visitest him?" When we put God and man beside each other there is just no comparison. God is so high above us, yet God pays attention to and cares for us. That is what the word "visitest" means. Isn't our God wonderful?
Thou knowest...
Thou understandest...
Thou compassest my path...
Thou hast best me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me." Ps. 139:1-5
What comfort we can take from this thought. God has known us in the past when life seemed unruffled. He knows us still amidst the changes of life. He understands. He guides our path. He surrounds and protects us with His hand.
As I was thinking on the vast knowledge of God I was drawn to the book of Job.--To be honest, the book of Job has always been a confusing book to me. You never know when Job's friends are speaking the truth as God sees it or wrapping up the truth of God in their wrong opinions. I turned to chapter 38-41 where God is speaking. I knew that I could rest on the words of God.
In these chapters, God declares Himself the Creator of the universe. His knowledge is presented to us in questions. He cares about and is involved in every intricate detail of creation. He is in charge of the forming of rain and snow, He created the beauty of the sunrise, directs the movements of the constellation, and He attends to every aspect of nature. The animals, as well, have the assurance that God Himself is their Creator and He is the One that cares for them.
By the beginning of Chapter 42 Job realizes that the wisdom of God is far above his own. We can never expect to know all that God knows. That includes the plans God has for our future and the "whys" of the trials we face. In verse 2 Job states, "I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be witholden from thee." The first part of the verse is self explanatory. God can do anything. After studying the latter portion I found that it means, that no purpose of God can be withheld or stopped.
This same God is the One that knows us. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. We need to let God be God. Let him have complete control in the guidance of our lives. He'll direct our lives, care for our woes and protect us from danger. If He directs all the intricate details of nature so perfectly, isn't He big enough and wise enough to plan each detail of our lives? He has a plan that may be hidden from our eyes, but we can trust His heart to fit all the raveled ends of our life into a beautiful design. I rest my heart and life in the hands of my all-knowing God.
Another cool thought that can tie into this subject of the knowledge of God is found in Psalm 8:4 "What is man that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man that thou visitest him?" When we put God and man beside each other there is just no comparison. God is so high above us, yet God pays attention to and cares for us. That is what the word "visitest" means. Isn't our God wonderful?
Monday, January 14, 2008
Girls, dolls and a tea party
My girls love playing with dolls and having tea parties. The Lord has blessed us with these two bundles of sunshine.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Christmas Celebrations
We were able to go to my parents the weekend before Christmas. All five of us girls and families were there. We had a great time. Though we did give a "gift" to some that I'm sure they did not appreciate. Joshua had got the flu on Wednesday. On Friday, he was doing better. By the time we arrived at Mom's on Friday evening Caleb was burning up with fever. So thanks to us, various people got the flu. I'm sorry about that girls.
Family
Dixie and Jeff--Curtis, Samuel, Alex, Briana, Julissa
Holly and Tim--Joshua, Caleb, David, Melody, Moriah
Heidi and Mike
The Wonderful Gift God has Blessed us With
Mom and Dad, thank you for all you did to make this Christmas a great family together time.
Dad, you were there to help in any way you could. Making sure we had enough blankets, finding fans, blowing up air mattresses, looking for that extra can of cherry pie filling, entertaining the boys in the gym and the wonderful memory you provided for them of the "great rocket launch."
Thanks, Dad, for all you did.
Mom, thank you for being there for all us, for smoothing out the problems, for caring when plans went awry, for praying us there and back home safely, for cooking and cleaning, and loving us all. Thank you, Mom, for everything.
Thank you, God, for the gift of our wonderful parents.
Help us to cherish that gift throughout the whole year.
Fun times
Jeralyn and Moriah coloring under one of the tables.
Mike and Melody coloring.
Our big Christmas dinner was at Mom and Dad's trailer. Dad had decorated the trailer for Christmas. It looked great! We had lots of yummy food along with conversations, laughter and tears.
Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories
and love of kindred,
and we are better throughout the year
for having in spirit became a
child again at Christmastime.
-Laura Ingalls Wilder
Grandchildren
Here is my Mom and Dad with all the grandkids. Ages 5 months to 12. The kids really enjoyed getting together and playing. The adults did as well.
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