Become as little children

Some time back I read a book entitled "Waking the Dead" by John Elderidge. The scriptures he quoted really spoke to me about how I need to seriously make sure that my heart, my whole heart, not just my head or part of my heart, is revived by the Lord. Then this morning in Matthew 18 I was reminded of Mr. Elderidge's chapter about becoming like little children. Now revival and being child-like may be two different topics to you but it is clear to me that the main reason I don't allow Christ to rule in my whole heart is my unwillingness to become child-like. Time and again the absolute best things that have happened in my life have been when I have turned over control to the Lord. So why do I fight what I know is the best? My insane desire to be in control, to be the decision-maker, to be the thinker, to be... well, un-child-like. Untrusting. Unyielding.

So today begins (again) another day that I will pray for that child-like faith. And today (again) HE will be there to awaken my heart from its cold slumber of selfish sleep. Praise the LORD - every day HE will be there to re-awaken it as long as I live. And maybe somehow each day will take me one step closer to being a child - a child who willingly, unhesitatingly, trusting and obeying without question places my heart and my path in His nail-scarred hands.

Books (of course!)

Well, it has been some time since I posted about my third favorite topic - books. (Want to know the first and second favorites? Try to guess!). The summer generally means more reading for most folks, but since we spend so much time on the farm, in the yard, outside, etc. it actually means less reading for me, at least. Emma Kate did get quite a bit of reading, carrying a book with her when we went to the dentist, grocery, or pool. Every spare minute was a minute for her to read (wonder where she got that desire from ??!!). If you are interested, her books included The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, Perelandra, Out of the Silent Planet, Adventures of Northwoods (series), Viking Quest series (books 1-3),

Ethan has not jumped into individual reading very enthusiastically yet. He spent lots of hours reading/browsing nonfiction books, mostly about Motorcycles and Dirt Bikes, Star Wars, Legos and the history of guns and airplanes, but hopefully by next summer he will be into reading more on his own. He did read some Three Cousin Detective books, Frog and Toad series (for the umpteenth time), and some Matt Christopher fiction (that had motorcycles or dirt bikes in the action!).

For the beginning of school, Emma is reading Eagle of the Ninth, Ethan has read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and this week we have read Beowulf together (abridged version of course!). Next week we will be reading Augustine Came to Kent together aloud at lunch, and Emma will begin Otto of the Silver Hand.

But the most exciting news for me personally is that I am reading several wonderful books. I have another copy of Bertha Smith's Our Lost World (from Amazon for 99c and it was signed by her - very precious to me!) which I am rereading along with the book Back to Jerusalem by Paul Hattaway. I will definitely be writing a blog soon about how these two books, written 30 years apart, show that God's plan and timing are so perfect and so beyond our limited understanding, and yet He allows us to glimpse His compassion and love for each and every person in every nation if we will just open our heart to His. For devotional thought I am reading Ruth Bell Graham's book about Prodigals. Very heartening! We are still reading together through the Bible using the McCheyne Reading Plan

May the Lord bless the words we read to open our minds to His amazing glory and wisdom!

It's summer so that must mean....

.... fresh tomato sandwiches, ice cold watermelon,
hot days jumping into cool water
and best of all... summer reading ;) !





Small group women's Bible study in "Experiencing God's Presence" (not the same as "Experiencing God")






Reading "Ivanhoe" with the children at lunch or evening.







Two books about evangelism and how to implement what I know I should be doing but somehow find anything and everything else to do first!

Book Update

A friend asked me to post on facebook what our family had been reading. Well, if you are on fb or other social network, you know the limited space for a status update. And if you know me you are laughing aloud already knowing that the books we have been reading in the past few weeks would never fit in that small space :) ! I could post it as a "note" on facebook but prefer to do it here and add pictures. Plus, this blog is a more "permanent" recording for the family.

So without further ado and in no particular order:
Beautiful Girlhood and Before You Meet Prince Charming - with Emma Kate - our discussion springboard for how to become a young lady and not a "tween"

Swiss Family Robinson - read as a family

King Arthur - (Howard Pyle version) - family reading

The Lamplighter - wow - you need to read this one! Great as personal reading or as a read aloud for the family

True Stories of Great Americans for Young Americans We are reading only one or two stories a week to go along with our Social Studies. I highly recommend this book to anyone teaching American history to elementary or junior high ages. It's a reprint from previous generations when students were taught Biblical character

Storm Warning - Billy Graham - an older book but still very appropriate

Desiring God - John Piper - always a great challenge

Do the Right Thing - Mike Huckabee

In Plain Sight (Elizabeth Smart Story) this fills my "mystery" quest. I like to be reading at least one amazing true story along with everything else.

How the Spirit Filled My Life - Bertha Smith - I know, I just keep rereading it! Somehow I understand it with my head but have a hard time carrying it out in my actions so I keep rereading it.

Peep Behind the Scenes - another great book from Lamplighter and somewhat shorter than most others

Instructing a Child's Heart - by Ted Tripp - great companion book to Shepherding a Child's Heart but good to read alone as well


I think that's all for now... probably missed a few we have already finished and returned to the library. By the way, we LOVE inter-library loan option. We have been able to get some amazing books that way. Read on!!

Summer Reading

Since we do "traditional" school schedules, I try to get in some good reading during the summer but have struggled with it this year more than most. It seems there have been more demands on my time or maybe I'm just worse at time management? Anyway, here are a few I've read and hope to finish more before we start back mid-August.

Finished:
Robin Hood - Pyle - just for fun since I enjoyed it so much when I was younger ;) ! No Robin Hood story is nearly the level of Pyle's regarding dry humor, superior descriptions and excellent literary value.
Grace Abounding - Bunyon - third or fourth time around and still has so much to speak to me!
Narnia - With the children we've continued the Narnia series and are now almost finished with book number 5 "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" and hope to finish the series before school starts or shortly thereafter.
Something More - Catherine Marshall - an oldy but goody that I read as a teen but really only now understand most of it
Family Driven Faith and What He Must Be by Voddie Baucham - absolute must-reads for any parent!
The Shack - Young - a great read to get you to remember not to put GOD in our "boxes" and to remember that His unbelievable love for each of us is so much greater than any tragedy in life

What are your summer favorites?

"Odd Combination"

A friend of mine told me recently that she loved me because I was such an "Odd Combination". I knew exactly what she meant and love her precisely because she is not so "odd" :) ! For instance, she loves (and is great at) cooking, baking, teaching all ages of her children, sewing, keeping a very clean and organized house, interior decorating, music, reading, crafts, etc., etc. She is a very classy and "together" stay-at-home homeschooling Mom. Her husband does all the outside work, home maintenance, etc. and they have a great marriage. This split of responsibilities works very well for them. She came over to visit on a day when I had spent the morning driving the tractor on the farm watering trees then came inside and finished homeschooling my children, topping it off with an "extra" reading from Narnia (we usually just save that for the family evening time). I had just finished Anna Karenina myself the day before, and my hubby and I were in the last chapter of "Family Driven Faith". She couldn't understand how I could speed read five books in one week as well as finish "Anna" (Thank you to my 8th grade teacher, Mrs. Ferguson!) and yet be happy driving a tractor :) ! I could never put together a formal dinner party, especially with 5 little ones under foot like she does, either. And yet we love each other and our time together. I love each aspect of my life, as she does hers, and with my hubby of 30 years, what works for us, well, it works well, and her marriage of 12 years works well for them, too! I think of two lighthouses that I have visited. One is on a rocky outcrop, and shines out from cliffs into the depths of the open sea; the other has weathered many hurricanes and shines into a shallow harbor with constantly shifting sands. My friend and I have to remember not to try to imitate each other but to use the talents and heart desires God has given us in the place he has placed us, to make the most of our marriages, our parenting and most of all our willingness to be lights to the dark world around us. And God is good enough to not only provide the light but to let us draw strength from each others' light as well!

Ready or not, here comes summer!

Most years we try to finish our school year by Memorial Day or at least the last day of May. Well, this isn't "most years" :) ! I'm still trying to decide how to finish things off with Ethan, but Emma will be finished with all her subjects within two weeks. Since Ethan wasn't really ready for phonics at the beginning of the year, we took our time because the last thing I wanted was to turn him off from reading. Since at this very minute he is sitting at the barstool reading "Fox and His Friends" by himself with only occasionally spelling a word he needs help with, I think it was worth the effort! Years ago I read "Better Late than Early" by Raymond and Dorothy Moore and it has been such a blessing to remember their wisdom and advice with this youngest child, especially.

The farm has taken many, many hours of our time but so far the trees are not just surviving but thriving - God is good!! In addition to the demands of 400 new "babies" we have had friends who've had human babies, several relatives pass away, my MIL taking chemo again, a wedding, and numerous family issues to deal with so I'm (sort of!!) OK with not being finished yet.

Today we spotted the hummingbirds at the feeder and after several questions about their migration, size/type of nest, etc., we sidetracked from usual routine and spent some time on the internet looking at pictures of and reading about hummingbirds. Natural Science!!! We love it!! Nothing better than good old curiosity and observation!

All this to say I think it's OK to not be on the "master schedule" (ahem.. actually MY master schedule is the one that I stress over!) because they are learning, growing, sharing, laughing and loving, whether "school" is out for the summer or not!

Next week.....

School: We studied George Washington on Monday (his BDay was Sunday and we study each on his birthday, not on "President's Day") and did some games about "Truth versus Fiction" concerning that great man. We also celebrated Handel's BDay by listening to the "Hallelejuh Chorus" on youtube while we were eating lunch. Tuesday we admired the works of one of my most favorite artists, Winslow Homer (I have two prints in my living room by him which tells you how much I like his artwork!). We've also done the "normal" reading, phonics, math, etc. Social Studies has moved us over to The Netherlands and my daughter is longing to wear wooden shoes and grow tulips :) ! Science has included a new unit about diseases and health and we are planning a trip to both a Health Clinic and a Dairy Farm (to see how they sanitize the containers, etc.) ... Maybe we will get a chance to go next week....

Books: I am almost finished with "In God's Underground" by Richard Wurmbrand. It never ceases to amaze me how a book about one subject can truly challenge you in a totally different area of your life. Here is a wonderfully amazing story of how one man stayed true to Christ in unthinkable conditions, and it really challenged me to do more to stand up for my faith and my Savior. I'm really ashamed of the fact that my life is so easy compared to his and that I spend so little of it in true fellowship with the One who Loves me most. I'll try to do better next week....

Farm: We have struggled to keep the remaining trees healthy with temps below freezing, a gas heater that sputters out on us in the middle of the night (it's like having a baby in the house, except you have to go outside in freezing temps to check on it in the middle of the night :) !) and we are certainly ready to finish getting them in the ground. Unfortunately rainy weather on Friday and Saturday will keep us from doing so this weekend. Maybe next week....

Work: D's company had another series of layoffs, and although he still has a job he now has about 7 people's responsibilities to do, which is causing him to work many long, long hours and weekends. We're thankful for the job but personally I'm worried that all the stress is going to wear on his health. Maybe next week will be better :) !

I'll let you know how things go - "next week" always looks better!

Happy Book Reading Day

Lately I have been in the mode of "get it done, we have to finish these textbooks, don't skip a subject" etc. Every September and January I do this. Hit hard the "master plan" for S-C-H-O-O-L!!! Then the kids and I start to dread each day, things get frustrating, and I dig in my heals even harder that we must STICK TO THE SCHEDULE! My son jolted me back into reality last Sunday when I overheard him telling his SS teacher, "Yes, we homeschool but I don't like school". Ouch. Big fat Ouch. So I have taken a breath, stepped back and rethought the week. I know how to do this - Im the one who tells new homeschoolers all the time to make sure their children learn to love learning, not just learn to go through the motions of school. So Monday we did the "basics" of reading and math early in the morning before our friends came to play. Then the children just played. Knights, spies, kings and queens, race car drivers, mothers and fathers, Bible heroes and astronauts were all play-acted. Lessons were learned in getting along with others, being courteous of babies, sharing, listening. Who has to have textbooks?

Tuesday I dubbed "Happy Book Reading Day". Since the time to read all the books I want to share with my children never seems to appear out of thin air like I wish, I decided to make this day a day when the children could share their reading skills with each other, as well as being read to by me. We made a library run (checked out 42 books!!!), and began to have a book celebration. I checked out numerous old picture book favorites like "Blueberries for Sal", "Moon Bear", "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat", "Harry the Dirty Dog", "Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters", "Lyle the Crocodile", "The Story about Ping", and numerous others. We checked out small chapter books like three of the Trailblazer books by Dave & Netta Jackson and "Treasures of the Snow" by Patricia St. John. My favorite poem collection "Who Has Seen the Wind" as well as non-fiction books about robotics, jets, and Italian art are resting among the mound of books. Of course we won't get to read them all this week, but we will share many of them. And hopefully we will, in the process, get past the "I don't like school" phase and back to "This is MY favorite book". Happy Book Reading Day (Week/Month/Year/Lifetime)!!

Advent

We technically don't "do Advent" because we don't have the Advent wreath or fast or even follow a specific agenda each day. However, we do read (almost daily :) !) from "Jotham's Journey" and discuss it. Today after we read our daily story we discussed light and darkness, how it gets darker earlier in the winter, how Christ is THE Light in our lives, and how easy it is to let darkness creep into our hearts. Just after we finished reading, we began to get down our Christmas decorations and it was neat the way the children were counting the candles and begged to light several of them. They also got out some electric lights (for the tree which we don't have yet!) and strung them around. It was really a blessing to see how they carried on talking and thinking about light and darkness long after the "lesson" ended. May your December be filled with lots of warm lights in your soul.

Book Updates

Some time back I wrote about how very much my daughter and I enjoyed the Elsie Dinsmore series. After we finished book 8 (there are 26 books , we discovered a newer series related to the Elsie series entitled "A Life of Faith" series. My 9yo has been reading these on her own (much more modern language than Elsie and somewhat less daunting in vocabulary) and absolutely loves them. She has finished all 8 of the "Millie Keith" series (Elsie's older cousin who has adventures such as helping slaves escape, going to Bolivia as a missionary and many other things). Now she's beginning the one book about Laylie, a slave who Millie had helped to escape. These books are unabashedly Christian, with prayers and scriptures by the characters making any young woman think seriously about her own commitment to Christ whatever life might bring, while at the same time very entertaining for a young mind in a wholesome way. If our library system is any indication, I am on the back side of learning about these books (some of them have a que of 9 or 10) and I am thrilled that not only are they available but that evidently so many young ladies have already discovered them and are checking them out. These are definite "must reads" for your 8-14 year-old daughters. My only negative about these books is that they weren't available for my oldest daughter many years ago !

We Resolve -

"Resolve" - 1) to deal with successfully; make clear and understandable, 2) to reach a firm decision about, 3) to declare by formal resolution

Recently I read two good books for parents. Actually, I re-read the first one "Let Us Highly Resolve" by David and Shirley Quine. I heard them speak at a homeschool conference years ago and read a friend's copy of it but found a cheap used copy a few weeks ago and re-read it - well worth the money and time! The second book is called "Parenting in the Pew" by Robbie Castleman. It always amazes me how the Lord leads us along and teaches us things. I need to backtrack a little to tell you what I mean.

For years my hubby and I had no real goals or "resolutions" written down. Oh, we had talked about and agreed that we wanted "good children", a "nice house", and "good things" like every other family we knew. We were different from most only in the fact that we wanted children fairly soon after we were married and we wanted at least three children, even with both of us working long hours and crazy schedules. But things changed in 1992. Our marriage and family were a shambles even though we had lots of money, a very nice large home, all the latest toys and gadgets, traveled when and where we wanted, etc. Thankfully we had been raised by Christian parents and we knew in our hearts what was missing. Jesus Christ wasn't Lord of our lives. So we both knelt on the cold kitchen floor one late night and poured out our hearts to Christ, giving them over to Him. Within hours we both were hungry for the Word and looking for Bible studies (BSF was such a blessing to us both), within weeks we were making the decision to sell our home, investments and assets so that I could quit work and stay home with the children and shortly thereafter we made the decision to homeschool. Within a few years we turned over the one area of our lives that we had maintained "control of" - the ability to have children. God saw fit to bless us with two more children (and two babies in heaven). Now you think this is a "happily ever after" story but unfortunately this is the story of two real people in real life. Yes, Christ is our joy. Yes, we did make the right decision to turn everything over to Him. But no, we have made many, many more mistakes and are still having to come face-to-face with our shortcomings (and always will). But YES, Christ is always there. HE is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow regardless of us. THANKFULLY!!

Here we are 16 years later still learning some pretty basic lessons. In 1992 we made some "resolutions" about turning things over to Christ. He enabled us to complete those. Now we realize we need more resolutions - not just for ourselves but more importantly for our family as a whole. That may seem ironic to those of you who think that our family is shrinking (children grown or growing up) but if you have older children you know that no matter their age or yours you are still a family and actually it continues to grow as you add daughter- or son-in-laws, grandchildren,etc. Since early this year God has been teaching us that we need to have some written "Resolves". Months ago a friend sent me an article with the resolutions that Cotton Mather had made as a parent. Go HERE to see the full text - it is tremendous!! I took those and summarized them into 20 points and have kept it posted on my fridge. They are very comprehensive and somewhat daunting in task but each day I try to read ONE point and remember it throughout the day. In addition, I read these to my children occasionally so that they can understand why we do what we do (or attempt to do!). After re-reading "Let us Highly Resolve" my hubby and I are working on rewording and reworking the Mather list with practical ideas to make it come about. For instance, point 3 "Pray daily for each in fervency and agony" is pretty clear but we want to be sure that we not only pray individually but more often together as spouses and as a family. And what, you ask, does "Parenting in the Pew" have to do with this? Well, we have been bothered for some time about how our children "tune out" the worship service although they are beside us they are not "with" us, and this book is a great help in why and how to make the service one in which your children understand that we go to worship God, not just go to church. It ties in directly with several of our resolutions, including "Teach Biblical Principles and Doctrines", "Teach them to pray", "Talk and listen about sermon points", "Teach true meanings of Holidays and traditions", etc. So today we HIGHLY RESOLVE to continue to work and fight and be diligent and work and toil to ensure that our children understand spiritual truths. In fact, it's the only thing worth resolving.

More reading

I am still not finished reading "The St. Andrews Seven" but also have two other books "going". Typically I read two or three books simultaneously, usually of different styles and content. I know, sounds weird, but it works for this weird reader! Right now since "St. Andrews" is historically based, I'm also reading "The Four Loves" by CS Lewis to challenge me spiritually, and "Next Door Savior" by Max Lucado as a lighter break from the other reading. Lucado's books are great to pick up (in the bathroom usually!), read a quick chapter, and then lay aside until another time. I have taken days or even weeks between chapters in his books and enjoyed them just as well as if I had read them in one sitting. And of course the CS Lewis book is a classic that I am "chewing on", reading and rereading to absorb all of the ideas and trying to do some heart application with them. Right now for Bible I am getting ready to read John through, using my Matthew Henry Commentary as I do so. My 9yo is reading it separately but on the same schedule so we can discuss it daily or at least several times a week. This is the first time I'm doing this with her and I look forward to it. My hubby is still in a very intensive study of Genesis but frankly I was ready to get back into the New Testament so we will continue to gain his insight in Genesis as he continues that.
What are you reading right now or plan to read over the summer?

Quote

“If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.”
- Old African proverb

How wonderfully this speaks to me of the adoption of 3 precious African children by my friends Eileen and Jerry (and two from the US and now planning on another from Ethiopia!). If you don't know their amazing miracle story, go read it at Eileen's blog HERE - but start at the beginning and read to the current dates, you'll be glad you did! And if you want a book with more amazing stories, get out the tissues and go read A Treasury of Adoption Miracles by Karen Kingsbury. It only takes about as long as watching a movie and is much better than most!

"The St. Andrews Seven"

Somewhere? in all my browsing of Book catalogs (my favorite hobby!) I ran across a reference to the "St. Andrews Seven" who had a major impact not only on their native Scotland but upon many nations and the Missionary movement of the 1800s. Since my oldest 3 children were enrolled in a school by that famous name and we also attended a church for a short time overseas with the name, it caught my attention. I got the book on inter-library loan and am completely amazed at how much I have gleaned from this "accidental" treasure! Firstly, the main character of the book (and professor to the six students) was a man by the name of Thomas Chalmers (good name, huh, my Chalmers friends?!) and I am itching to find a good biography about him to read as soon as I finish the "Seven" book. He firmly believed that morals produce economic good, not the other way around (I think our current modern society has proven him correct!). He also believed that no one should ever be pushed or forced into religion but that if we truly believed in Christ's atonement, we would live in such a way as to draw others to Christ. Here is one of the quotes from the book that I have copied down already (I am only part way through the book and have copied 5 quotes!): "Our response to Christ's commands should be determined by what we can do in His strength, not by what we might fail to do in ours. "
(Ouch!! I needed that!!)

Keep a clear eye toward life's end

I just finished reading a most honest, direct, sometimes shocking, sometimes heart-wrenching, always genuine, true story of a man about whom we have all heard many truths and untruths about - Justice Clarence Thomas. If you have not yet read his book (My Grandfather's Son) either get online and order a copy now or run to the nearest library like I did. Be forewarned that whether or not you agree with Justice Thomas on his political beliefs and ideologies, he gives a very open account of his life, environment, feelings, failures, successes, regrets and gratitude. He does not overplay or downplay the role of his family or his faith. His writing style is so transparent and honest that you might wish he had left out some of his shortcomings. But that's one of the wonderful things about the book, the fact that a very private man put on paper for the world to see that he is just that - a private man. Not a black man. Not a Supreme Court Justice. Not a superman or Southerner or Republican or ex-Democrat or some ideal for others but a regular person who grew up in dire circumstances in an often unjust world and through hard work and faith is now in one of the highest offices in the greatest nation in the world. Not a perfect nation but not a nation to be thrown away or taken for granted. He is just a sinner who decides each day to try to do the best he can in whatever circumstances he is in to live a life worthy of his family and his faith. What more can anyone ask of anyone else?

In the book Justice Thomas reveals that he had carried with him a prayer attributed to St. Francis. I really liked the prayer and researched it a little more. The best I can determine the exact prayer that he carried in his wallet, which had gotten him through many tough times, was an abbreviated version. Below is the version I like - it goes very well with the Cotton Mather "Parental Resolution" that a dear friend sent me a few weeks ago that I now keep outlined on the front of my fridge. Both things are a reminder to "Keep a clear eye towards life's end", keep priorities straight by keeping eternity in sight, keep my heart straight by binding it with the Lord's desire to see all come to the saving grace and mercy He has waiting for us.

Keep a clear eye toward life’s end.
Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature.
What you are in his sight is what you are and nothing more.
Do not let worldly cares and anxieties or the pressures of office
blot out the divine life within you or the voice of God's Spirit
guiding you in your great task of leading humanity to wholeness.
If you open yourself to God and His plan
printed deeply in your heart,
God will open Himself to you.
Remember, that when you leave this earth,
you can take with you nothing that you have received—
fading symbols of honour, trappings of power—
but only what you have given:
a full heart
enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice, and courage.

(May the Lord help us to finish the race well by running it well each and every day.)

Book Review

It's been a while since I talked about books but it's because I've been too busy reading them! I just have to tell you about the most precious books that I have been reading with my daughter - the Elsie Dinsmore series. I had seen them in various book catalogs for several years and felt that they were too young for my oldest daughter and too old for my youngest (confused yet?). Anyway, I got the first two books for my youngest daughter this Christmas from Vision Forum and am very sad that I never got them for the older daughter. They are the most wonderful books. No, not "fluff", just entertaining or even lighthearted. They are true literature in the best sense of the word. The author draws your heart immediately to that of little Elsie and as you suffer her troubles page by page you will be amazed at how wonderfully well this young girl meets every trial. It has so convicted me of my pettiness and selfish ways and embarrassed me to read to my own 9 year-old of a child her age who deals with life leaning on Jesus in a much deeper way than her own mother does. Other than the Holy Bible and The Cost of Discipleship I can honestly say that I do not recall a book ever convicting me of quite so much of my own need for maturing in my faith. If you want some excellent literature and are ready to make changes in your own Christian life, read the Elsie series (even if you don't have a daughter to read them to!).