GOOD FRIDAY

A day to remember what the Lord did for little ol' me and us all! Thank you Jesus. 

Mark 15:25
It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
Romans 6:6
knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;

Heavenly Series

Chip Ingram is a great bible teacher. Here is his series on Heaven. I don't know for sure how long it will be available for free to listen to online. I find it very comforting to listen to all I can about Heaven, what Braveheart is doing, what it's like for him, until we get there one day.

http://livingontheedge.org/series/heaven/daily-radio 

more than amazing

god be in my head

I discovered a new artist that I just love!!! I adore spending time listening and worshiping the Lord in song. It clears my mind, fills me up with His word and truths, lifts my spirits, pleases Him, calms my nerves, puts things in perspective, heals me, works in my life.....I could go on and on....I urge you to fill up on worshiping Him through uplifting music..after all He is the creator of music....

healer

#2 post treatment CT

Today really went quick. The CT was faster than ever with no drinking of ickies...wow...then we get this call from the doc waiting for us when we get home. Calm, friendly voice telling us to call, with a cell phone number, none the less...I think something must be up. Well, the CT is showing some lymph swelling and it could be from the infection but we have to be sure. Numb. There is some hope in that. Wait a minute, I truly believe Braveheart is healed!! I cannot go through this again!! Hey, this isn't about you and your pain mama T. He can't go through this again! I am there for you both daughter. Didn't I just start feeling somewhat normal again? I start to think of what this means and I just go blank. Peaceful resting in Jesus! Please pray Psalm 91 over our family!
In Jesus' name.

Psalm 91

¹ Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”

³ Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴ He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵ You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
⁸ You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰ no harm will overtake you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
¹² they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴ “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵ He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

you deliver me....

I have accidentally discovered that Selah put out this new album..I fell in love..I already love these guys and next thing I know I hear about them everywhere...take a listen to this song..you may become hooked like me!

praise HIM

What a crazy, but nice week we had with Boy Scout camping for dad, hubby helping his dad with a major electrical project (we are thrilled and privileged to be helping him), his uncle passing away, his sister visiting from Louisiana and the long list of things to do around here. I actually got so much done, including planning and preparing songs for our awana club, teaching myself power point (their instructions are useless to me), but I did have to carve out some time on my weekend to catch up some. Do we ever really catch up? I am ok with that.

I have to be honest and say that 2 weeks ago I had a very stressful week. We started school Aug. 18th and things were flowing pretty smoothly and then I don't know if it was me being ill, having fatigue or if other stress factors made me fatigued..you know, the chicken or the egg type stuff...
Well, I will skip the boring stuff that goes through my mind, but it is hard to concentrate when you don't feel well and I knew that God called me to homeschool and that His yolk is light..so I asked "What then shall you have me do Lord?"
Well, I wanted to share part of what I read that really touched me...

from 31 DAYS OF PRAISE:

praise can free you from wasting your energies by speculating on just how each circumstance in your life could be part of God's plan. Through praising and thanking God, you put your stamp of approval on HIS unseen purposes. You do this not because you can figure out the specific whys or hows, but because you trust HIS love and wisdom. You endorse Paul's words in Romans 11:33-34

'frankly, I stand amazed at the unfathomable complexity of God's wisdom and God's knowledge. How could man ever understand His reasons for action, or explain His methods of working?'

Praise is a powerful weapon against Satan. Satan hates praise. Any praise thwarts Satan. Make it more powerful by coupling it with God's Word, truths that magnify Jesus as Victor.


I am praising this morning..praising YOU Lord!! Thank you for my life....so last Friday we took Friday off and went to the zoo with my sisters-in law. We had a great time.

We are refreshed in Him and praising Him for a great week of His work ahead...

i'm back from my media fast!!

You may not have even known I was gone but our whole family was challenged and enjoyed a 'media fast' while we focused on 'being still and knowing I am God' and reading Romans 12. That's right, no TV, no radio, no ipod or book tapes. We don't watch a huge amount of TV, mostly Netflix, but we do tend to turn on the other distractions. It was so good.

²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The whole chapter 12 is just so good! I am going to try to memorize this as a family but will not stress about it. Anyway, it was a great time of reflections and saying no to those media stimulations.

Now I will segway (how do you spell that?) into a look at my newest scarf I finished a couple weeks ago. Remember those leftover 5 sided grannies I made? Well, I switched up the look a bit with my leftovers. I think it was fun! I pray God will transform you this week to His perfect will.

god's smuggler

We are listening to a wonderful book for our history time period. It is called God's Smuggler? Have you ever read it? It is post WW 2 and covers the life of a man called Brother Andrew and his work for the Lord. So far we are thoroughly enjoying it. It has humor and is full of such amazing insights into the power and provision of God. It makes me really want to regroup and learn to really rely on the Lord for all our needs in a way that is deeper. I have found it to be readily available in my library system in book and audio form.

what we are speaks so much louder....

Our children are going to learn more by living with us day in and day out than they will by reading about ratios and proportions. What we are—the ideas that rule our lives, the attitudes that rule our hearts, the actions and words that stem from those attitudes—will have a bigger impact on them than what they learn about some historical figure.

Once again Charlotte gently reminded us that the atmosphere of our homes makes up one-third of our children's education. What we are speaks so much louder than what we do or plan to do.

I want my children to be "hourly the better" for spending their days with me. It's a tall order that can be accomplished only with much prayer. Let's renew our commitment to put forth the effort—daily—of living devotedly, acting lovingly, thinking correctly, and speaking kindly before our children.

I tool this from a Simply Charlotte Mason email newsletter. I just thought it was very good. I have been very convicted of late and regrouping on this 'attitude' in the home. It is easy to lose track a bit, especially when you are weary from stress in your life. Thankfully we have a God who's grace is daily renewed.

hot dog smores night

Getting the fire ready!

The kids and leaders going on a hike with a spiritual lesson.

Roasting marshmellies..

Friends all around.

Goofin' around!

bible devotion challenge: proverbs

I am sending out a fun challenge to you all to come along with me and read through the book of Proverbs with your kidlets! It is just packed with so much wisdom and fuel for excellent discussion and conversation. Recently I was seeing some heart issues that needed working on and realized I haven't read through this in detail with my little ones in some time. I try to do it every year but I think most of you know what my last year or so has entailed to some extent, so that just slipped by.
You don't have to do anything fancy or get a book to go with it, just sit down while your kids are eating breakfast or when they are done, don't wait until the kitchen is clean, it kills the extra blessing of it; just READ IT!!
Don't worry if you miss a day or have to cut it in half or if you don't get it done in a month..no matter; just READ IT!!
Say a little prayer, talk about what some of them mean, look your kids in the eye and talk about God's word. It is so simple and yet the greatest investment you can make in your kids lives..better than college or camp or sports, even school or anything else.
Send me a note if you plan on going along for the ride.
May you be blessed through the adventure as I am already.

We are going to try to pick out verses to memorize too. Here is our first one. The kids just love the way that verse sounds. Isn't it so lovely??


Proverbs 3:3 Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart.

year in review

It's official...I LOVE BLOGGING!! How goofy is that? It's not that I am any good at it, but it is this easy way to let out some creativity on a near daily basis. Just think of all that would be forgotten by me without it? I love taking pictures and blogging has helped me remember to take pictures more often. Before it was "Wow, I really like that photo, look hun...yeah, cool.." close the book to gather dust and sit on the shelf because I will never have time to actually scrapbook them. (That makes my mind crazy) Now there is a way to showcase it, write about and it fluff it up a bit, not to mention the enjoyment of keeping up with friends/ families lives. I like to have the memories for myself, my family and maybe grandkids someday....you never know.


REVIEW
I think if I were to pick just one word for our last year it would be too hard, but 'survival' comes to mind. It was one of the hardest years of our families lives. "Dependence' is another as we had to really just keep leaning on the Lord for strength and peace and He really came through for us there. I don't know how people get through these major events without Him. "Thankful' for our son's life....our family and receiving so many blessings through it all.

NEW YEAR'S JOURNEY

What's next? I refuse to use just one word, at least for now. One word will have to be 'persevere'.

to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly

to bolster, sustain, or uphold

Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Let us not forget magnanimous, it has been our friend of a word and we must keep at it.

Joyful, is another that calls out to me.

We are excitedly looking forward to this year's journey and all it's joys and bumps in the road. Here is a few of my personal goals:

• get with God and pray for my husband, kids and others daily, continued spiritual growth
  


• get the home super, mega organized



• recommit to eating healthy, life sustaining, cancer healing, weight losing foods



• work on and enjoy girly girl project with my damsel all year long and more



• drink green tea often



• get back to exersizing routinely like I used to (and better yet)
  
  
• eat these highly nutrient dense foods in our regular food rotation often (salmon~ almonds~blueberries~avacodos)

I didn't really want to get too detailed here. I am also going to start Wordless Weds just to have a fun, quiet way to showcase a favorite unique photo. I have a few other ideas/ plans but I am just going to have fun and PERSEVERE!! and maybe while I'm at it i won't be quite so behind on everything....:)

a good Spurgeon post/ just where we need to be

One of the things I love most about trusting the Lord above as my savior, is the peace and comfort of knowing that there is a plan for my measly little life and that there is a purpose and it means something. Nothing that I go through is for naught and the wonderful peace in knowing that He truly places us where we need to be in our life. This Spurgeon archive just spoke to me and gave great comfort.

"He shall choose our inheritance for us."—Psalm 47:4.


BELIEVER, if your inheritance be a lowly one you should be satisfied with your earthly portion; for you may rest assured that it is the fittest for you. Unerring wisdom ordained your lot, and selected for you the safest and best condition. A ship of large tonnage is to be brought up the river; now, in one part of the stream there is a sandbank; should some one ask, "Why does the captain steer through the deep part of the channel and deviate so much from a straight line?" His answer would be, "Because I should not get my vessel into harbour at all if I did not keep to the deep channel." So, it may be, you would run aground and suffer shipwreck, if your divine Captain did not steer you into the depths of affliction where waves of trouble follow each other in quick succession. Some plants die if they have too much sunshine. It may be that you are planted where you get but little, you are put there by the loving Husbandman, because only in that situation will you bring forth fruit unto perfection. Remember this, had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there. You are placed by God in the most suitable circumstances, and if you had the choosing of your lot, you would soon cry, "Lord, choose my inheritance for me, for by my self-will I am pierced through with many sorrows." Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God. Down busy self, and proud impatience, it is not for you to choose, but for the Lord of Love!
"Trials must and will befall—But with humble faith to seeLove inscribed upon them all;This is happiness to me."

bible devotions for children

Today I was able to have the pleasure of finishing a book. I love that feeling of coming to the end and already the excitement of starting a new one begins to well up inside. This devotional was read aloud nearly daily (with many interruptions this year), being more specifically geared toward A's level back when we started it. It seemed to take us forever since we didn't read it exclusively. Each lesson talks about the qualities and character of God and how to know Him better. It very simply includes verses, bible passages and hymns. I love for my children to hear words in hymns. If you have a very young child, especially one new to hearing God's word, this would be a great book to read, discuss and begin hiding God's word in the heart of your child. It can stir up good conversation in any young child however.

I especially loved the little end lesson where it reminds us that the Lord will return again someday and everything will praise Him.

Rev. 21:4 HE will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or sadness. There will be no more crying or pain. Things are no longer the way they used to be. You can imagine the comfort that brought, knowing this truth in the midst of all the illness and even death ( and near death) that our family has witnessed over this year. Life on earth can bring such suffering at times but it is not the end. What peace that brings. HOPE

Now, we don't dwell on those things, so let's go back to joy land.

Over the years my most consistent bible devotion with the kids has been reading aloud in good bible books. Just a little taste every day. I have circulated through a few good ones since D was little. It is satisfying to be at a stage in my homeschooling career to be repeating some of them. We will revisit this one now. It is full of rich illustrations. 'A' was quite young when last this was out.

Let me encourage you with simple. I like simple. You may have entered a more involved/ intense season of devotions with your child as they have gotten older, but wherever you are in your devotion season it is good to just be in the word. In my younger days, with little nursing babes, I used to feel overwhelmed about teaching my children's devotions. That's when I started this simplistic but oh so fruitful plan. As I read each day to them, God taught me more about Him. I was able to show Him to my kids in their daily lives and how to behave toward one another. There is a guidebook for parenting after all!! All the bells and whistles are nice and if you can swing it, then go to town, please. There will be a time to dig deeper and a time to be simple, but the Lord impressed upon my heart that just hearing His word on a consistent, truth giving basis and then living out what you've learned in your daily lives, truly builds mountains into the spiritual lives of ones children.

I am excited to reopen this book with my younger clan and then we will shift into another favorite that will be perfect for all three younger ones.... the child's story bible by Vos. This is one of the first real large story bibles I began reading to my children when D was little and I was a new Christian. It is a favorite. I couldn't believe how much I learned right along with them. A very special Titus woman-friend gave me her old beat up version after hearing that I longed to get my own copy. Back then money was super tight. I still have that book with it's duck tape binding. It is precious to us all.


Thanks Patty!

they just grow because of Him

Just before we began our journey with B's illness, the children were helping me start our garden. We had some pumpkin seeds that we have been using for years! We wondered if we could yet squeeze another batch of pumpkins out of this packet, so we just 'threw' some seeds in the ground, next to the compost bin full of rich dark soil and left them alone. Alone has been the common theme of our garden this year. Yet every time I managed to sneak to the garden for some tomatoes, I would peek over at the compost bin and there was the most luxurious vine weaving in and out and around the unattended flowers, asparagus 'trees' and the fence nearby. What green beauty, so flowing and appealing to the eye. I am still amazed that we were able to get a little harvest of pumpkins to put on our porch. Even with no attention and little rain, God made these pumpkins so hardy and He attended to them and blessed us in this little way. I am continually amazed by His goodness.