Noticing the Gifts:: First Day of Homeschooling

Sometimes I am so surprised by where God takes me.
I still can't get over that I am here in Minnesota, that I'm a wife and a mother, and that I have five kids!
I'm still amazed at how God carries me through and accomplishes things in my life that I can't imagine doing on my own.

I'm also often surprised by the beauty each day holds.  I'm so thankful for how the camera can capture that beauty and since I've been practicing taking pictures I seem to find beauty more and more.  I see "the most perfect picture" when my daughter runs up to the open doors of the ballet studio and squeals with delight.  I see how the light reflects off the water at the lake, I see the sun falling on the table...

I see the beauty in school supplies!

And it's not just beauty for beauty sake.  It is a reflection of our Heavenly Father's beauty.  It is His goodness and love and do you know what?  It is everywhere!

I'm so thankful that:
34. He is with me and taking me to new places every day.
35. He helps me to plan.

36. And clean.

37. and prettify.

38. and pre-test.

39. And just love schooling at home.

I love these pictures because they make school look so

peaceful

simple

and

CLEAN.

  My last post might have worried you a bit.  You might have thought that there was no way I was going to start school today.  YET, I was able to clean up (with God's help - seriously it was like someone else was cleaning for me!) and things were organized just in time.

oh, so that was number 40 up there:  He got me organized just in time.

So to be real let me just tell you that today was not perfect.  There was some yelling from mom, a crying three year old, a broken glass in the sink, a bathtub full of seashells, chocolate frosting all over the kitchen, and a lot of TV watching.

Yet, I'm thankful that:
41. Ben is learning to read.
42. My daughter is learning to cook.
43.  I am able to leave the house on short notice ALONE!

Remember that our God is good and that we are his beloved children.  We are His children!

And yes, I did say a bathtub full of seashells.

Filling my Heart

Today is "Multitudes on Mondays" over at Ann Voskamp's blog.  Today's post is particularly inspiring because really what good does it do for my children if I am thanking God and not sharing that with them.  Can you guess what we are going to start do tomorrow?

  

For too long I deep down secretly grumbled and complained that my life was too hard, I was too lonely, too tired, deprived of things I really loved.  I was starting to not believe that:

"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.  The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance." Psalm 16:6

That verse once was very dear to me.  Maybe because I thought that everything was going my way.

But life isn't about things going my way.  God's way really is BEST!  It may not be the easiest or the most comfortable or the most glamorous but it is my Heavenly Father's way.  

In it I am not alone.  He is right there with me.  He strengthens me, helps me (How Firm a Foundation).  I really am upheld by his loving hand.  The waters have never overflowed, the flames have never hurt me, and I have never been deserted.  And I know that even if all hell should endeavor to shake me, (and boy I have never even been close to that) "in [His] presence there is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11)

So I am choosing to be Thankful.  Gratefulness really changes your perspective.  It helps you to see the truth.  I makes you among other things:  Sober.

The song "My heart is filled with Thankfulness" has been going through my head lately.  Especially these lines:

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who reigns above
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace
Whose every thought is love.

Every thought He has towards me IS love.  Thank you!

 

 

24.  New stairs and new paint! (I will share pictures soon)

25.  Spring has finally come!  Things really do grow in MN.

26. Crocus.  The feeling of Easter swept over me when I saw them.

27.  The Arboretum.

28. This girl.

29.  Those flowers that pop up in my yard every year.

30.  This growing boy.

31.  Medicine and how it heals.  (Don't worry, we also consumed LOTS of yogurt)

32.  Being able to go to ballet and the cheer I received when I walked in the door.  Thanks ladies!

And since I am having a hard time ending this post with a picture of Amoxicillin here is one more and another picture...

33.  I am rescued.

Loved

Everyone deals with pain in a different way.  As a little girl I remember my father brushing my hair.  I would scream out (believe me I was a drama queen.  I'm sure I screamed out more than I needed to - wonder where my girls get it from....) and my father would say, "That doesn't hurt!"  Other times when I would fall he would say, "That's ok, you are fine, get up, it doesn't hurt, come on."

That's me

And not only physical pain.  In my family we ignored the emotional pain too.  Stuff it down, don't cry, you are strong and if you ignore it long enough the pain will eventually subside and you can forget.

I've done that all my life.  And I've done that with God.

You see I've been doing so well lately.  I've been able to rest in my heavenly father's love.  I've been able to believe it, to know it, and to be free in it.

But

life has also been going fairly well.  Spring is finally here and the snow is melting.  The workload hasn't been that overwhelming.  I've had a little more fellowship.

And then

  I found out that my grandmother's health is failing.  We live so far apart and there is nothing I can do.

  This hurts.

How do I respond?  What is my reaction?

My first reaction: cry.  Wow!  This is good, I've so often in life just got distant and said, "That is sad." and went on with my life.  Crying is good!
But then I had to go on with my day.   I had meals to make and kids to take care of.  As the day went on and on I could feel my heart getting cold.

I put up my wall.  I protect myself.  I start to feel that God is not on my side.  He won't answer my prayers.  His thoughts toward me are indifferent.  He doesn't really care.

sunset taken by my daughter

A good friend asked me yesterday how she could pray for me.  After I told her she asked me what was I going to do.
 I told her I was going to repent.

God has not changed just because my grandmother is getting weak.  God did not stop caring for me.  He did not stop loving me as his precious daughter.  He did not stop answering my prayers!


I am still his child.  He is still my shelter.  He is still my heavenly father!
  I will choose to praise.  I will choose to hurt.  I will choose the truth.

Choosing to thank Him.

10. I have a shelter in Him
11.  In ministering to others I am encouaged
12.  Anne Steele
13. My Heavenly Father loves me.  He really does.

Five Minute Friday :: I feel the most loved when...

... I'm forgiven.

When all is at peace (shalom).  When I know that I don't have to work for that forgiveness.  When I know that the work has been done for me in Christ.  I don't have to be somebody I'm not.

I am just learning what God's love for me really is.  I used to get so worked up about things and then my husband would say, "You're just not believing that God loves you."  THEN I would burst out in tears.

"Your right?  How could God love someone like me?  I'm always late, always saying the wrong thing, I'm always..."

But Jesus is always.
He is everything I am not.
He is my rock and my shield.  He is my righteousness.

Just this last year I have been changing.  Believing.  Trusting.  Resting.

Stop
That was five.  Now off to find a picture.

Note:  Here is my post from last year on this date.  Here is from two years ago on the 7th.

Oh, and I have 2 followers!  Thanks!

And I would LOVE to have your comments.

Help with Deceit and Lying

(Written by David)
We have found it particularly difficult to help our children with sins of lying, deceit, or trickery since it is often hard to determine the facts and so much depends on motives and attitudes that are not easily discerned. Today the Lord reminded me of one of the primary reasons for obedience in all areas but particularly in our hidden thoughts and acts of secrecy that we must keep before our children continually. We do not want them to tell the truth and be honest simply to please us, but to please the Lord. Children do not intuitively understand that the Lord sees every action and thought, but God’s word makes this clear in Psalm 139:

O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
You understand my thought from afar.
You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are intimately acquainted with all my ways.
Even before there is a word on my tounge,
Behold, O Lord, You know it all.

May the Lord be at work in our children to help them remember that they can never hide their sin from God or “get away” with anything before Him, and that their obedience is to please Him and not just us.