Still here...

    The last few months have been a whirlwind. Towards the end of school last year, the Lord laid it on our hearts to start homeschooling. After much prayer and discussion, we decided to make the commitment. Andrew would be starting 2nd grade and Kate would be in kindergarten. After having the summer to purchase curriculum, ask tons of questions to fellow homeschooling moms and plan, plan, plan, I felt ready. We turned part of our basement into a schoolroom and we were all excited. We even started a week early, partly because the kids wanted to and also because it was 105 degrees outside.

    All in all, it's been a great three months. Of course there have been good days, bad days and days where I ask myself, "WHAT WAS I THINKING?" But I am already seeing growth in all of us. I see major growth in the relationship of Andrew and Kate. They are truly best friends. And Abby's ability to be more patient is growing (always a work in progress). I also see my relationship with Christ deepening to a new level. The only way I can have a successful homeschool is if I rely on His super natural strength. And it's a minute by minute reliance on Him. On days where I lose my focus, I am impatient, stressed and exhausted. I lose the joy of teaching my children. But when I live out my true priorities, by putting Christ first, everything falls beautifully into place. And as I continue to look for Christ's blessings in every moment, I am overjoyed by His love for me. He knew how homeschooling would challenge me, exhaust me, and some days defeat me, but He also knows that in His arms are the only place that I can find true comfort.

Gifts 257-300

surprise birthday parties

the fact that homeschooling allows me to spend the entire day with Kate on her birthday

#6 shaped pancakes

generosity of family

spark

time alone to reflect

children memorizing His Word

warm apple cider on a cold rainy night

17 deer!

go fish & fig newtons

long hikes

first colors of fall

pumpkins and mums

open windows

birds chirping early

menu plan filled with warm soups for the changing seasons

a brother who plays house and sisters who play cars

sound of wind rustling through the trees

wild sunflowers

apple orchards

homemade by all, hot, apple pie

mini mice

taking the morning slow to start off a long week

warm apple cider on a cold morning

successful speleothem

a hot glass of tea

crepe myrtle fully in bloom

ice

the way she prays

tickle time

a rapidly growing boy who still insists on good night kisses

early morning snuggles

early mornings with just the sound of rain gently falling

Spoken and Paster Pablo

singing her to sleep

littlest's bedtime prayers

steam rising out of a hot cup of tea

Awake My Soul

Mondays

load and loads and loads of laundry

fire glowing in evening light

trees on fire with color

Christmas letters to Blanca

rain

school books scattered over dining room table

"Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

The whole earth is filled with His glory

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

Psalm 65:8

Gifts 234-256

eating strawberries straight from the garden

perseverance

golden fields of wheat 

campfires and s'mores

getting caught in a downpour

a boy who could fish for hours

holding her hand through the storm

skipping rocks contest

hiking off path

waking to the sound of birds chirping

blooms covering the garden

watching her sleep

huge improvements

watching his confidence grow

overcast rainy days perfect for a nap

safety through the storms

sunset on the lake

sleeping with one girl in each arm

an amazing father for my babies

discussions about the future

children laughing

being able to help lighten his load

children all drawing pictures for Blanca

May's List

As I continue to count all of God's marvelous gifts, I am realizing that if I don't write them down, they are so easily forgotten. Counting has become a habit, though my list is short because I fail to put pen to paper. I am determined to become better at recording His gifts because I want to remember how greatly I have been blessed. 

Gifts 223-233

that she 'loves the Holy Spirit who lives inside her'

oldest voluntarily reading!

wonderful dinner on the patio

making a plan and sticking to it

her bright smile brought forth with quality time

the softness of her skin

watermelon and corn...signs that summer is coming

sleeping in

our youngest turning THREE!

Parenting as a Ministry

 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11

Blessings

"What if our troubles are directly from God's hand to help rid us of the idolatry of self-reliance?"

This morning I heard this quote on the radio. It spoke straight to my heart. Last night was a pretty much sleepless night. My husband is out of town and I never sleep well without him here. I woke up this morning exhausted and with a pounding headache...and three little ones to care for. And it's days like this where all I can do is pray to God to just get us through the day. I know I can't do it on my own. I know no matter how bad I want to, I can't go just go back to bed. I have to be here. I have a job to do that doesn't allow sick days. So I fall on my knees and pray to my Savior to give me strength. That is why this quote has really stuck with me today. Knowing that God is working on me, through the joys and the trials, let's me sigh relief. I want more than anything to be closer to Jesus, and if this is a way that He is drawing me in, I am joyful. It's all about the lens by which my circumstances are viewed. I'm beginning to have greater understanding of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

God has our ultimate good in His hands. And being able to realize that, helps me be joyful and thankful, at all times, in all circumstances.

This song has really impacted me lately. I just love the lyrics.

Psalm 105:1-5

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name'

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!

Remember His marvelous works which He has done."

Finding Contentment

As I continue to work on the habit of gratitude, I am seeing how central it is to my walk. Everything really does come back to giving thanks to God. At church on Easter morning one of the pastor's main points was, when we are focused on self and the stuff that we don't have, we miss God working in our lives.  I don't want to ever overlook God's hand in my life. But it's so easy to become consumed with wanting to keep up with others. I struggle. Some days it seems like everyone else has a nicer car, house, clothes, etc. And then I begin to overlook, even disregard, all the blessings that have been so graciously given to me directly from His hand. 

This past week God taught me a lesson in this area. I was struggling with wanting a newer car. Josh and I crunched some numbers we didn't see a new car payment fitting into our budget. I was feeling frustrated and sorry for myself. How did everyone else afford new cars? Why was our budget so tight? And then, during a trip to Sonic, it hit me. A really old, beat up car pulled up next to me. It had a 30 day tag on it. That car is all the driver could afford. They spent their hard earned dollars and were most likely really thankful to have transportation, no matter what it looked liked. 

I was really struck at how ungrateful I had been. I started to think about our two sponsored children in Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. They are thankful just to have food. I recalled an article I had recently read that talked about how America is the only country where having two (or more) cars is normal. Most families in the world are blessed to even have one car. It was eye opening. How quickly I can change from a person trying to focus on each and every blessing to a person telling God His blessings aren't good enough. Isn't that what it all comes down to. 'God, what you have given me isn't what I want, I want more...better...different.' 

A quote I heard on K-love sums it all up. "Happiness isn't having what you want, it's wanting what you have." And with that I continue to count His gifts and try to live a life of indebted gratitude to Him. 

Gifts 206-222

brownie covered faces
mimi-memi-mymi-mo 

laughing hard with my best friend

a husband who sends me away to Starbucks to relax

the privilege of spending my days with little princesses

watching butterflies emerge from their cocoons

an evening game of croquet

singing and dancing in the kitchen to Abby's favorite song

trusting in Jehovah Jireh

Resurrection Eggs

Isaiah 55:10-11

watching the youngest inhale M&M's

rubbing her back until she drifts off to sleep

excitement for a girls shopping trip
day in KC with just my hubby, picking out curriculum

delicious lunch at a fun restaurant

learning true contentment

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

         Matthew 6:25-26

Encouragement

This year I am studying the book of Isaiah in BSF. It has been such a great study on a book that I have always just passed over, thinking it would be too difficult to understand. Another misconception about Isaiah is that it was mostly prophecy and it wouldn't be applicable to my daily life. I was SO wrong. Every week after study I walk away with a convicted heart. This week was no different. The lecture was on Isaiah 54-57. 


Here are the verses that really encouraged me...


"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is My Word that goes out from My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."


These are verses that I know, but today I saw them in a different light. Let me explain...


Lately we have been trying to have an evening devotion time as a family. At the beginning of the year we decided to read through the Bible in a year. It started out after dinner and then moved to right before bed, after Abby had been put to bed...she just wouldn't sit still. It seemed like every night there was so much resistance to this opening of God's word. Either a child would be grumpy, we would be exhausted, we were going to bed late. We pushed forward, knowing that Satan would want us to stop. But then it seemed like our kids were getting NOTHING out of this time. We were reading from a children's Bible with applicable questions at the end. Rarely were the right answers given and we felt like we were constantly having to say, "Listen...Sit Still...Leave your sister alone". It became frustrating for all of us. We were exhausted and felt like nothing was being accomplished. And sad to say it's probably been 3 weeks since we even attempted a devotional time. 


 That's why these verses struck me. God is the ONLY one who can work in our hearts. It's not my job to change their hearts. I am called to deliver the Word. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) God does the rest. Why do I take Him out of the equation? Why do I think that I have to do it all? It is His Word and He will accomplish what He desires. I can smile at squirmy kids and having to explain everything over again (and again). God's word will not return void.  What may seem empty now, God will make full. 


So with renewed focus we will be starting family devotions again. And there is peace in knowing that if I do my part, God promises to do the rest.