Sunday, August 28, 2011

The New

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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! II Cr. 5:17

 

When I accepted Christ as my Savior He washed me clean, he created me to be brand new.  He forgave all my sin and forgot.  He forgot!  He shoved all of my mess over the highest cliff, turned His back, and walked away.  With that amazing cleansing of my heart He made me new.

New, clean, pure!

I, too, need to forget the old.  When those old sins come back because it is what I am used to and I they create false comfort, I need to turn my back and walk away.  And when it comes pounding back, like it has a tendency to do, I need to keep the door shut.

Because I have been made new.  New, pure, clean, beautiful, in Christ!

 

 

Linked up with:

scripture and a snapshot

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Scavenger Hunt~ 08/28

This weeks items: Old & New, Night Photography, Music, Cheesy, Sun

 

Old & New

An old and new Black Eyed Susan down by the pond.

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Night Photography

Yikes! I need so much more practice on this!  We had a super cool lightening storm the other night and could not capture it at all.  I definitely need to study up on this and a remote would be handy too!  So, although I had really good intentions on getting a night shot this is all I could come up with.  Almost night…

sunset

Music

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Cheesy

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Sun

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Linked up with:

scavenger hunt

Friday, August 26, 2011

Precious Littleness

I want to grab it up, hold it close and never let it go.  But, try as I might time moves on and littleness stretches, changes and yearns for big.

 

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Fingers and toes grow, losing their dimples.  Chubby cheeks and thighs slim.   Dependence fades and independence claims its place.

 

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I’m not yielding yet!  I still have such a deep longing to hold that precious littleness close. Bury it deep in my heart and memory.  Spending quiet moments letting it soak deep into my soul. 

 

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You are my forever girl and I’m your forever Momma. I treasure our moments, your smile, dimples and striking blue eyes. I cherish your giggles, your imagination, your sweet little girl smell, your desire to help me around the house, garden and kitchen.

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Our days are filled with so much lately.  But, even in the midst of the busyness there are times for hugs, smiles and laughter.  We find moments. We cling to them. We are grateful for them. 

As I type, you are beautifying me. Placing myriads of your barrettes into my hair.  Then you are down and running. And I’m stopping to watch you as you practice your twirls.

These moments, these precious times, these are what I don’t want to lose. My heart aches. I know there are good things to come. I see them in your brothers, but I also know the things that are gone and no longer, that I use to share with them.

When I look at you I don’t ever want to let go. I want you to fit into my arms as you do right now. I want to always have you run to me when you are in need.  I want you to climb into my lap for stories. And I don’t ever want you to stop wrapping your arms around me and planting your sweet, little lips on mine.

 

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Oh Lord, you have blessed me with such a precious gift. Thank you from all that is within me!  May I cherish the moments of now, the moments of yesterday, and the moments to come, with your wonderful, beautiful child.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Here We Go Again

It’s official. Today starts our 10th year of homeschooling.

I got my students up around 7:00. When they were all gathered around snuggled in blankets and ready for devotions. I asked them if they would like to go out for breakfast or if they would rather pick up doughnuts and bring them back home. They chose doughnuts. Which was fine by me.  I can’t argue against cheaper and easier!

We spent half an hour in devotional and prayer time

 

189   the finished chalkboard

 

and then we went to town for those doughnuts.  At home glasses of milk were poured and then the feeding frenzy began.

After breakfast our day took flight.

Nine full years of homeschooling has provided for a pretty solid routine. I don’t sway from it much.  The wonderful thing about it is I don’t have to remind the boys what is expected of them!  After our sugar laden, non-nutritional breakfast the boys just jumped in to the routine like we had never stopped. 

Chores inside and out, personal Bible time, Piano playing, and Teeth brushing (all this is required through the summer break also) Check, Check, Check.  All was accomplished and we started school right on time at 9:00 AM.

Each boy grabbed his books, no prompting from me and settled into their Monday morning work.  I would explain our school schedule in detail, but I’m sure I would lose half of my readers after the first paragraph or two.  Let me just say that we do  things a bit differently with the younger two boys.  We combine several of their subjects and they do a weeks worth on Monday and Tuesday.  The remaining subjects they do a weeks worth of on Wednesday and Thursday.  A few things like spelling and reading are done daily.  But, if they get every thing accomplished in those four days they get Friday off.  It is a great incentive!  My oldest does not care for this type of schedule and follows a more typical one.

 

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Lots of brain power was used and some serious scratching of pencils could be heard. There were a few distractions and a lot of, “Mom, can you…?”  I did notice I need to re-iterate that I am only one person teaching 4 different grade levels.  I can’t be at everyone’s side at the same time!  When things got a bit harried I had Lauren play near by with a basket of toys and I focused on what the boys needed.

 

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By 11:30 everyone was finished with what was required of them individually.

Lunch was served and then Joel took over lessons!

 

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Our propane tank needed paint BAD. Joel had the boys scrape it and paint it.  Middle boy, being the conservative that he is thought he would squeeze the paint out of the sponge brush he was using because it was too full.  He ran to the faucet to rinse off the paint only to find that it wouldn’t come off.  Joel teasingly told him it would take a couple of years to come off.  Poor guy!  He thought his dad was serious and that he would have to walk around with silver hands.

 

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Eventually we convinced him we could get if off and he went to work.

After their afternoon of “learning” to clean the pool, and really learning to paint the propane tank, and cleaning out the rabbit barn.  They were in my realm again.  The younger boys and I sat down and read our history and science books together.  And before I knew it the day had skipped away.

That’s how these school days go.  Packed with learning all day through.  Books, projects, writing, major learning of intellectual knowledge going on in the mornings and life lessons and work ethic in the afternoon.  It’s how we roll around here!

 

 

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And if you have a moment head over to At The Well for my latest article on Reflections on the Home.

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Saturday, August 20, 2011

By Faith

 

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                                                                                 Hebrews 11:1

By faith Abel… By faith Enoch… By faith Noah… By faith Abraham… By faith Rahab.

These and many more, God esteemed for their faith.  These men and women of God were not perfect. Some made bad decisions, some cheated, some sold themselves, some disobeyed, all were sinful. Yet God used them. These men and women served God in faith.  They were faithful to what was unseen.  They were faithful to a God that promised a redeemer who would be the final sacrifice. They never saw the redeemer, the Lamb who was slain to wash away all iniquity.

Yet, they served.

They loved.

They lived in faith. 

They lived in hope and certainty.

How about you?  Are you living in faith?  Trusting in the Lord to take care of every need.  Knowing that your life is in His hands and He is in control.  Are you sure and certain in your faith?  If not call out to your Savior.  He can fill you with that certainty.  He is the fulfillment of God’s promise to all people.  He brings love and life everlasting. 

He is our HOPE!

 

                                             Sunday Best scripture and a snapshot

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Home Stretch

It’s here.

Our final week of summer break. I’m left scratching my head and squinting my right eye, trying to figure out where all the days went.

This week I’m making a semi-mad dash to get our school room ready. Or as some might be prone to say… pulled out of total chaos from weeks of just dumping things here and there, running out the door with my eyes shut and pulling the door closed tightly behind me.  So, unlike me, but so absolutely necessary this summer.

I’m also investing my time by getting all the required information I will need for my first EVER high schooler.  My oldest son will be starting 9th grade this year.  It seems totally impossible that I could have a child this old since I am still so very young, and hip, and lithe (insert snort and hilarious laughter).  My fingers have been very busy typing away as I make up a very “official” looking schedule for the next 9 weeks.  I will be placing more responsibility on him to get his work accomplished and much less reminding done by his A-1 teacher.  I will be grading all his work for the first time and I am hoping this will help give him the bit of Oomph that has been lacking at times in his desire to apply himself.  Grading + good GPA + higher education= better college options.  Oh look! I’m a math genius!

I’m also working on finishing up a chalkboard that I have been wanting to make for a long time. Pretty much like for a whole year. I’ve had this frame sitting in the school room begging for me to make it pretty and useful. Well, now with the help of my Hollywood man, I am.  He lovingly spray painted a board with chalkboard paint and I got busy painting the frame (with not just a few helpful hints from the artiest in the family).

 

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Now I have a chalkboard upon which I will display our memory verses! 

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Well almost…Mister Man doesn’t trust me to use spray paint without leaving drips or something like that and I decided it needed another coat or two.  He lovingly obliged me and just added another coat to the board. I hope to put it all together tonight. I will try to remember to show you the final product soon.

And in a spare minute or two I took a few “school” pictures of my crew. When I suggested photos for school someone thought it a great idea to leap across the yard in a final hurrah for summer.  It snowballed from there with all three of the youngest ones talking loudly and begging me to take pictures of them celebrating.

So….One~ Two~ Three~  HURRAH FOR SUMMER and I say FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

   j-1  s-1 c

   

And because my younger boys have a really hard time being serious in front of the camera, I got a lot of this.

                  c-2   j-2

 

  And my more serious two. One of which is hard to get in front of the camera (hint: the tall, dignified, guy on the left).

                 I  sis-hat-2

 

  Not your typical “school” pictures, but HEY, I never claimed to be typical!  We’re traveling this home school road with individuality and panache.  Okay maybe not so much panache, but we are making our own well beaten path and learning with every step, stumble, sprint, and shuffle!

 

 

 

 nbts-blog-hop-2011

Linking up our school photos at Heart of the Matter.chalkboard

Monday, August 15, 2011

Baby Blue

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When I saw the I Heart Faces’ theme for this week was Beautiful Eyes, I couldn’t help taking my little princess outside to try and capture a couple photos of her beautiful eyes!  Usually she is super cooperative and loves to have her picture taken. Well, it ended up that she was not really into it tonight.  She was squirmy and kept looking everywhere but where I asked her too.  She kept squinting and I had to keep reminding her to stop furrowing her eyebrows.  Then the cat kept rubbing all over her and his tail kept wrapping around her neck and sweeping under her nose. After about 75 shots, I gave up and let her and the cat be!

 

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Sunday, August 14, 2011

Scripture and a Snapshot

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Have a blessed Sunday! Grab hold of the JOY and PEACE that only the LORD can bring!

 

Linking up with Katie Lloyd for Scripture and a Snapshot.

scripture and a snapshot

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Sweet! (and a Little Farm Humor)

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It’s sweet corn time around here.  The kids and I have been super busy picking and shucking.  I have been busy blanching and freezing all this yumminess.  And we have been gorging ourselves with corn on the cob EVERY SINGLE NIGHT!

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We are truly blessed with a wonderful, abundant crop this year!

 

When I haven’t been busy in the garden I’ve been whipping up super easy, delicious, and sweet items such as these.

chocolate pie 

Triple Chocolate Pie  (adapted substantially from a recipe in Kraft Foods)

1 pkg(3.9) vanilla instant pudding

1 pkg(3.9) chocolate instant pudding

2 c  cold milk

1 pre-baked 9” pie crust

1 16 oz tub whipped topping, thawed and divided

1/2 c  milk chocolate chips

1 T  milk

1/4 c  mini chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips and milk in microwave on high at 30 second increments. Stirring after each 30 seconds, until smooth. Spread onto the bottom of the pie shell.  Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with whisk for 2 minutes. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the pudding into the pie shell. Stir 1  1/2 cups whipped topping and 1/4 c  mini chocolate chips into remaining pudding.  Top the pie with whipped topping.  Refrigerate. Sprinkle top with chocolate shavings or mini chocolate chips before serving, if desired.

This has become my children’s favorite pie!  They are currently requesting another one…the sooner the better!

 

 

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Blackberry Lemonade

1 c  Blackberry Juice (cook down berries and drain through wire sieve. Sorry no measurements on amount of berries I just always guesstimate)

1- 1 1/4 c  lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)

3/4- 1 c  sugar

Cold water to fill a 2 quart pitcher.

Place all ingredients in pitcher and stir until sugar is dissolved. Chill before serving. The variables on the lemon juice and sugar is due to differing tastes whether you want it sweet or with a bit of a twang. We like it with a bit of pucker!

My kids love this and 2 quarts is never enough!

 

Now I suggest you don’t serve both the pie and lemonade in the same setting.  Not only does chocolate and lemonade repel one another, but a sugar overload is likely to occur!

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And a little humor…..

Out here in the country we don’t have the seasons of spring and fall. WE  have the seasons of MUD and FLIES.  I noticed the other day that FLY season has begun.  We have dusted off our weapons of defense and have been whacking and smacking away.  This afternoon I asked my middle son how many flies he had killed after lunch. 

He replied, “Four.”

To which my youngest son not to be outdone said, “I killed two while they were mating!”

Oh Yeah!  Just a bit of reproduction stopped dead in its tracks! Way to go Boy!

I just couldn’t stop chuckling about this since it was said in pure farmboy/homeschool innocence!

Monday, August 8, 2011

Song of Joy

Lord, My God, My Savior, My Strength

My heart is yours;

My soul is yours;

Every fiber of my being I give to You.

 

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You are my strong tower.

I need not fear.

You are my Redeemer.

I need not hide.

 

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You are my Love.

In you lies my HOPE, my JOY, my ALL.

My Savior, My King,

Reign in me!

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