I was speaking with someone the other day who seemed pretty surprised that we school in the summer months...I know you are shocked too! As I am telling her I see her eyes get big, then a little bigger, then she looked as if her eyes would blow up in my face. Here I am talking to this lady, feeling very confident in our decision to do this, while my mind was screaming much doubt. I n which I had to stay composed and not lead her to think I have made a wrong decision. These 4 children I love dearly whom I have been given this responsibility to train them in the way they should go! Surely, I am not having doubts about schooling during the summer months (having just finished 2 1/2yrs of schooling them anyway) and I know what is best for them...right?! I get on my way of conquering my grocery list and thinking on the pros and cons of this summer school session.
Some of the thoughts that I had goes a little something like this (and don't judge me cause if your a mother with 4 children and many things to do you know your brain works similarly)...
Mental list: Pro. They will stay on top of what they have been learning. They will thank me later because they won't struggle the first few weeks of school. Gives them something to instead of vegetating in the house all day. Doesn't help both sides of the brain...scratch that it helps every part of the brain! We have breaks during the regular school year. In the real world of work you generally only get 1wk of vacation and that is only if you have earned the time!
Whew! I know. I know. All this occurred in seconds. I tell you seconds! Yes I am obsessed with thinking it all out. I have also been known to think I said it and never did! Ask my kids, they can tell you. So the cons were a little harder for me. I am sure if you speak with my children they will have plenty but the only one that came to mind(in the split second of time) was this...
Con. Break...naaa they don't need a break. I just gave them a month off! If not more.
Well, the more I have thought about this, the more determined I have become to understand what God would want me to do. I'm a firm believer in the fact that my way is not usually your way and your way isn't always God's way(I mean my way isn't always God's way either). So what I do with the children God has given me is between me, my husband, and God.
In the time I ran into this lady and thought all these things through I sat down to write a tentative schedule for our summer session. I was very pleased with it! It was laid out so thoughtfully with every detail and nook and cranny combed over and ironed out. Then...my Lord God, maker of heaven and of earth, spoke to my heart and said "nope." So back to the drawing board. Although the drawing board was empty for days without a thought in sight. I was laid out flat on my back (literally couldn't move even using the bathroom was painful) and God gave me this peace about things I had planned taking out of the schedule and things I had planned for us to do outside our home. I got up the next day and I said "Lord what would you have me do today?" You see the past several months I closed a door that I thought was still open but I got in the way of myself. Lost sight of what God wanted me to do and put my own wants in the place of His. The door was open again and I could see and hear clearly so I stepped through it. On the other side I was able to start writing the things I wanted to get down for this summer and God weeded out what didn't NEED to be done. This freed up time that I always think I need more of but never have it. I sat down that night while watching a movie with the family and put together a calendar of school within minutes. It is a simple calendar that still touches on skills my kids should know for the next year but it also gives us the freedom to go to the pool, beach, out of town or even just have a chill day!
The pro for me now is it will be God's way and the con...well when God's hand is in it, I can't think of one con in this summer of schooling. If God lays it on your heart to home school great, if he says do it in the summer too...great!
Make sure you are in line with the Word of God, follow His lead and you will never go wrong.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Sunday, June 2, 2013
The Time is Now!
As I sit here I am thinking of how I can teach my children to continually spend time with the Lord, always be thankful in what God has given, and always know there is someone out there who's need is greater than your own. Where to begin in this process? I have asked myself... Where is the start and stop? Good thing that I serve a God that doesn't hit the rewind button on my many faults and sins.
My first lesson of many was this past weekend...
I have been longing to have a piano that has all the bells and whistles to record my own music with multiple instruments all through this lovely machine that some inventor decided would be great! My husband tells me there is a piano sale at the local college in my hometown. Since this is where I got my first digital piano I was eager to see what they had in the sale. My daughter decides at the last minute she and her friend would come with us to see what they had too(she doesn't play but seemed pretty eager to put her fingers on the keys, maybe this is the start of teaching her). I tell the salesman that I wanted to see there digital pianos. He takes us to this one that was similar to what I have now and I said i was hoping to have something a little more than what I have now. As he is showing me this one that records up to 2 instruments at a time my husband is asking some questions too. Net thing I know I am standing behind this beautiful Yamaha CVP with ALL the bells and whistles even can play something I wrote and it designs the score sheet and everything. To make a long story short I fell in love with this piano. We had the gentlemen write up the paperwork and I was about to be on my way to a new piano! How excited i was and my daughter was excited too! The gentleman leaves to run our application and I turn to my husband and he said what i was thinking...This wasn't the right time to buy it:( I chased the salesmen down drumming up the courage the whole way to tell him nevermind while my heart was breaking over my lose. We walked out without this piano. I am one to where my heart upon my sleeve, my husband who knows me very well pulled me close and said I'm sorry honey. When we got in the car my daughter said "Mom, you really wanted that piano bad, didn't you?" I told her "yes I did but we can't always get what we want." The Rolling Stones song can to mind about that time "You cant always get what you want. But if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need!" Wow! What a lesson for me and my daughter! I wanted that piano but I have a perfectly good one that works at home. You see my want was in my mind bigger than my need! What a lesson in always being thankful for what God has given you.
The second thing that happened to me that same day was this...
I went home and was still wallowing in my self pity, when the Lord prompted me to come sit at my piano. As i am sitting at my piano that I have dusted, wiped the keys from sticky fingers, and played so lovingly over the last 9 years I was feeling the self pity melt away. I started to play a few of my favorite worship songs and then it happened! The feeling of the Holy Spirit in this place that I am at in my worship time. Then the Lord spoke to my heart and said "Can you still sing? Can you still play? Can you be content with the piano I had placed in your life at the right time and the right place?" Oh I have to say the conviction that came over me then was quickly replaced with gratitude at the same time the Lord is saying to me "you do not need a new piano, you need me!" As I am singing I hear him say to me again "me, you just need me!" I had been feeling alone lately. Maybe that is why I was so quick to buy that piano to fill the void I was feeling because I hadn't spent much time with my God, The Savior of my soul in so long I couldn't remember the day or time. What a blessing to know the Lord and know that even though I am like filthy rags to him he has loved me anyway. He has brought me into a relationship with Him that no one could change or even fathom the depth of His love just for me! When I am worshiping, reading my word, and listening to what He tells me I AM in the RIGHT place and my kids see the benefit of me being one with my Lord! Now that is spending time with God!
The third thing that has happened to me and this has been over time...
We feed the needy ones that come to our church for clothing and non-perishable foods. Two Fridays a month my family makes a meal and we serve it for these people. My children have met many that have no home, no car, no money, and are solely relying on God to provide their every need. We are just a speck in this multitude of need in this economy. Where people in our community would rather make the city look like this glorious place where there could be no crime, no hardship, and absolutely no homeless ministry! We are like every city we have all of that and then some but to be able to see that need and meet it even though we are on a tight budget ourselves is a God given thing. This lady that had offered to help us feed these people(which the number has doubled since we started feeding them back in Oct.) on her very small income. Another family has said please how can we help to serve these people. Today she said God laid it on her heart to feed the homeless but she said "God this is a really big undertaking I don't know how I would do it. Then I saw you and your family doing it and asked if we could help." All I can think about is how our God is the God of the last hour and minute that we feel at the edge of ourselves. I kept telling the Lord early this year Lord we are getting alot of people in here and I don't know that we can afford to keep doing this on our own. As I had started to feel at the edge of "Oh My what do I do now" moment here comes the older lady and then when I think "ok Lord it is just her and I on these tight budgets." He sends someone else to help also! I serve a God of the right now! He serves the need of us all if we only go to him with our need...not our want, but the need! My pastor pointed out the scripture in Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." So we are called to be servants and to be the best servant I am to lay down everything that is in my mind important! These homeless people are important! Right now they have nothing but the clothes on their back. No matter how they got where they are my family is called to serve them. Right now, in my line of vision they are lower than we are, they have nothing but I have everything(in there eyes) but my children are seeing that there are those who have far less than we do!
So it brings me back to the questions I had earlier Where do we begin? The only answer that comes to mind is...The Time is Now!
My first lesson of many was this past weekend...
I have been longing to have a piano that has all the bells and whistles to record my own music with multiple instruments all through this lovely machine that some inventor decided would be great! My husband tells me there is a piano sale at the local college in my hometown. Since this is where I got my first digital piano I was eager to see what they had in the sale. My daughter decides at the last minute she and her friend would come with us to see what they had too(she doesn't play but seemed pretty eager to put her fingers on the keys, maybe this is the start of teaching her). I tell the salesman that I wanted to see there digital pianos. He takes us to this one that was similar to what I have now and I said i was hoping to have something a little more than what I have now. As he is showing me this one that records up to 2 instruments at a time my husband is asking some questions too. Net thing I know I am standing behind this beautiful Yamaha CVP with ALL the bells and whistles even can play something I wrote and it designs the score sheet and everything. To make a long story short I fell in love with this piano. We had the gentlemen write up the paperwork and I was about to be on my way to a new piano! How excited i was and my daughter was excited too! The gentleman leaves to run our application and I turn to my husband and he said what i was thinking...This wasn't the right time to buy it:( I chased the salesmen down drumming up the courage the whole way to tell him nevermind while my heart was breaking over my lose. We walked out without this piano. I am one to where my heart upon my sleeve, my husband who knows me very well pulled me close and said I'm sorry honey. When we got in the car my daughter said "Mom, you really wanted that piano bad, didn't you?" I told her "yes I did but we can't always get what we want." The Rolling Stones song can to mind about that time "You cant always get what you want. But if you try sometime you just might find you get what you need!" Wow! What a lesson for me and my daughter! I wanted that piano but I have a perfectly good one that works at home. You see my want was in my mind bigger than my need! What a lesson in always being thankful for what God has given you.
The second thing that happened to me that same day was this...
I went home and was still wallowing in my self pity, when the Lord prompted me to come sit at my piano. As i am sitting at my piano that I have dusted, wiped the keys from sticky fingers, and played so lovingly over the last 9 years I was feeling the self pity melt away. I started to play a few of my favorite worship songs and then it happened! The feeling of the Holy Spirit in this place that I am at in my worship time. Then the Lord spoke to my heart and said "Can you still sing? Can you still play? Can you be content with the piano I had placed in your life at the right time and the right place?" Oh I have to say the conviction that came over me then was quickly replaced with gratitude at the same time the Lord is saying to me "you do not need a new piano, you need me!" As I am singing I hear him say to me again "me, you just need me!" I had been feeling alone lately. Maybe that is why I was so quick to buy that piano to fill the void I was feeling because I hadn't spent much time with my God, The Savior of my soul in so long I couldn't remember the day or time. What a blessing to know the Lord and know that even though I am like filthy rags to him he has loved me anyway. He has brought me into a relationship with Him that no one could change or even fathom the depth of His love just for me! When I am worshiping, reading my word, and listening to what He tells me I AM in the RIGHT place and my kids see the benefit of me being one with my Lord! Now that is spending time with God!
The third thing that has happened to me and this has been over time...
We feed the needy ones that come to our church for clothing and non-perishable foods. Two Fridays a month my family makes a meal and we serve it for these people. My children have met many that have no home, no car, no money, and are solely relying on God to provide their every need. We are just a speck in this multitude of need in this economy. Where people in our community would rather make the city look like this glorious place where there could be no crime, no hardship, and absolutely no homeless ministry! We are like every city we have all of that and then some but to be able to see that need and meet it even though we are on a tight budget ourselves is a God given thing. This lady that had offered to help us feed these people(which the number has doubled since we started feeding them back in Oct.) on her very small income. Another family has said please how can we help to serve these people. Today she said God laid it on her heart to feed the homeless but she said "God this is a really big undertaking I don't know how I would do it. Then I saw you and your family doing it and asked if we could help." All I can think about is how our God is the God of the last hour and minute that we feel at the edge of ourselves. I kept telling the Lord early this year Lord we are getting alot of people in here and I don't know that we can afford to keep doing this on our own. As I had started to feel at the edge of "Oh My what do I do now" moment here comes the older lady and then when I think "ok Lord it is just her and I on these tight budgets." He sends someone else to help also! I serve a God of the right now! He serves the need of us all if we only go to him with our need...not our want, but the need! My pastor pointed out the scripture in Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." So we are called to be servants and to be the best servant I am to lay down everything that is in my mind important! These homeless people are important! Right now they have nothing but the clothes on their back. No matter how they got where they are my family is called to serve them. Right now, in my line of vision they are lower than we are, they have nothing but I have everything(in there eyes) but my children are seeing that there are those who have far less than we do!
So it brings me back to the questions I had earlier Where do we begin? The only answer that comes to mind is...The Time is Now!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
It Has Begun!
I have always loved reading others blogs and thought...I have a lot to say maybe I should start one. I would dismiss it quickly since I figured no one would read it anyway:)
My mind has changed and is determined to put pen to paper or should I say fingers to keys and share what is on my mind! Where to begin...
We are in the process of repairing our small abode that is busting at the seams with bodies and it has been a challenge to say the least.
It started when we first moved in about 15yrs ago. My daughter was 8 months old and my son had just turned 2 when we bought our 1024sqft home on about .74 acres of land. At the time it was nice and cozy for our family of 4. We knew there would be challenges along the way but not like what we encountered with in the first few years. Now anyone who is on a really small budget knows just what I'm getting ready to say...you work with whatcha got! We didn't have much but we tried very hard to make everything functional. We knew it was time for repair in the front bathroom when my husband went to pee and the the floor dipped near the toilet. Well, we had decided just before that I would stay at home to care for our children who were still not school age yet,$250.00 and my husband's ability to use his hands and wisdom gave us (not the desired bathroom) a bathroom that worked! I was thrilled to say the least that we wouldn't fall through the floor while sitting on the toilet! Now my mind got the best of me and at the time I was thinking about sitting down and falling through the floor while my child is playing trains in the living room, he hears the crash and comes into the bathroom(I couldn't use the bathroom without a kid during those years) and says "Mommy why are you down there?" Oh how would I have explained that to an almost 4yr old! I could just imagine my explanation...hahahaha!
As our family continued to grow so did our need to make some improvements. I can remember going from a toddler bed in my boys room to a bunk bed to a current bunk bed and twin bed. Our boys room is full to the brim with beds and a dresser with a few storage bins. Everyday my thoughts are consumed with how do I revamp this room so it doesn't smell, look, and feel like a dirty locker room. We are homeschooler's now(we weren't always) and our days are spent in our home where I need to NOT feel like everything is cramped and unorganized.
Over the years we have done many projects in our home. Replaced the siding(most of it except for the soffit & fachea boards), tore off our back deck to replace the rotted floor and band board(back deck is still not there), tiled the front bathroom and replaced all fixtures and cabinets(turned out great but husband hated the color I painted it), tore out carpet in our room, hallway, living room and master bedroom so we could put hardwood floors down. Our latest project is an entertainment center that my husband designed and built in our living room so that I may have sanity. It is the most beautiful thing I have seen and I'm not sure if it is because I pain stakingly stained all the wood and polyurethaned it all outside in the cold(we don't have a garage). My relief is felt that we will finish this project and complete the molding around our windows and floor in this same time!
Some of you may say we have commitment issues. Others may say we just don't know how to finish things. I like to think that we just ran out of time and money for some of these things(even though I know we could stick it out the finish). But what I have realized in time is that I have learned so much on this journey with my husband and my kids. 1) I can lay tile and paint a wall like nobodies business!(I actually enjoyed painting staining, mudding and sealing) 2) My sons would never have a better lesson in God's grace and mercy!(watching their mother extend grace & mercy to their father during these projects) 3) I couldn't have ask for a better father for my kids that actually wants them to learn to do these things. 4) Realizing that you can't always get what you want but with hard work and dedication you can get things done!
Our finished storage/entertainment center! We still have some baskets and hooks to install and to transfer everything to the shelves. This works for our family, for our home, FOR ME. I can't wait to use it! Just as it was begun... it is surely finished:)
My mind has changed and is determined to put pen to paper or should I say fingers to keys and share what is on my mind! Where to begin...
We are in the process of repairing our small abode that is busting at the seams with bodies and it has been a challenge to say the least.
It started when we first moved in about 15yrs ago. My daughter was 8 months old and my son had just turned 2 when we bought our 1024sqft home on about .74 acres of land. At the time it was nice and cozy for our family of 4. We knew there would be challenges along the way but not like what we encountered with in the first few years. Now anyone who is on a really small budget knows just what I'm getting ready to say...you work with whatcha got! We didn't have much but we tried very hard to make everything functional. We knew it was time for repair in the front bathroom when my husband went to pee and the the floor dipped near the toilet. Well, we had decided just before that I would stay at home to care for our children who were still not school age yet,$250.00 and my husband's ability to use his hands and wisdom gave us (not the desired bathroom) a bathroom that worked! I was thrilled to say the least that we wouldn't fall through the floor while sitting on the toilet! Now my mind got the best of me and at the time I was thinking about sitting down and falling through the floor while my child is playing trains in the living room, he hears the crash and comes into the bathroom(I couldn't use the bathroom without a kid during those years) and says "Mommy why are you down there?" Oh how would I have explained that to an almost 4yr old! I could just imagine my explanation...hahahaha!
As our family continued to grow so did our need to make some improvements. I can remember going from a toddler bed in my boys room to a bunk bed to a current bunk bed and twin bed. Our boys room is full to the brim with beds and a dresser with a few storage bins. Everyday my thoughts are consumed with how do I revamp this room so it doesn't smell, look, and feel like a dirty locker room. We are homeschooler's now(we weren't always) and our days are spent in our home where I need to NOT feel like everything is cramped and unorganized.
Over the years we have done many projects in our home. Replaced the siding(most of it except for the soffit & fachea boards), tore off our back deck to replace the rotted floor and band board(back deck is still not there), tiled the front bathroom and replaced all fixtures and cabinets(turned out great but husband hated the color I painted it), tore out carpet in our room, hallway, living room and master bedroom so we could put hardwood floors down. Our latest project is an entertainment center that my husband designed and built in our living room so that I may have sanity. It is the most beautiful thing I have seen and I'm not sure if it is because I pain stakingly stained all the wood and polyurethaned it all outside in the cold(we don't have a garage). My relief is felt that we will finish this project and complete the molding around our windows and floor in this same time!
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| My storage center being built |
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