School Fever

School fever is here!!! I always look forward to what God has in store for us for the school year. As I have prayed, He has been faithfully revealing what the plan should be for the year. I am so excited.

One of the things that he has really placed on my mind is the "heart" of raising "Daughters of the King" not just the practicality of the matter. The heart of homemaking and not just the mechanics. My daughters know the mechanics well. How to cook--gourmet meals, nutritious, meal planning, frugal shopping (I am actually kind of spoiled), preservation techniques (canning is just a way of life around here), how to bake a good loaf of bread, cleaning, gardening--planning, sewing/quilting, medical missionary skills. Deep Bible study and how to apply those principle to their lives. God is showing me the holes that are missing and I praise Him for that.

Then it is on to Physical Science (a few more modules), Biology(my oldest daughter would enjoy teaching that--that is her forte'), Algebra, English(10), Composition, Geography and some kind of History--maybe World History. Any special reading projects? Of course many sewing projects for the winter. We are also making our way through Polished Cornerstones.

I am anxious to see what the Lord is placing on my husband's heart. For the past several years, he has a special Bible class for the girls called "Reading Between the Lines" that is tailored especially for them. 6:30am Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I have my quiet time during that time and I can hear some of the conversations. They go very deep. I know the girls will hold that time that they spend with their dad close to their hearts.

I was just contemplating, our youngest daughter is trying to finish school in the next 1 1/2 so she can start mid-wife courses. Okay, that is not a funny thought. I am not sure what I am going to do. They both claim that I am going to find some little boy to bring home and teach. Just a random thought.

Life and Death

I would like for you to take a moment and think of Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection. In Romans 6, Paul is making a parallel between Christ’s death and our death through baptism and Christ’s resurrection and our resurrection to a new life of loyalty to God. It is liberation. It is a destruction of “the body of sin” and “freedom from bondage.” “For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:7. There is no service to sin and your members are used “as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

As I was reading through Romans 6, there were a couple of phrases that had the same tenor and theme. “Let not sin reign,” “that ye should not obey it,” “yield in your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin.” Sounds like bondage.

I really thought about it. How can something have dominion over you? Dominion is defined as “sovereign or supreme authority or power to direct, control, use.” Romans 6:14 suggests that sin can have dominion over us. Consider it. Can sin have authority and control over us? What thing is there as we are working throughout our day as moms, wives and homemakers that may keep us in bondage?

Daily, what are we choosing? Who are we serving? Who are we obeying? (Just some thought questions.) We are servant to whom or what we obey. If we indulge selfishness, anger, materialism or any other sin, we have put ourselves in a position of serving sin. And if we are serving sin, we are not serving Christ. A Christian will feel the temptation of sin, for the flesh fights against the Spirit, but the Spirit works against the flesh. It is a constant battle. Here is where Christ’s help is needed. Our human weakness unites with divine power and battles are being won. Victories obtained by faith through Christ Jesus.

As I thought about the above phrases, this is also what jumped out at me. “Freedom from sin,” “dead unto sin, “servants of righteousness,” and “members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Praise the Lord!

Paul sets before us two options--life and death. Deuteronomy 30:19 says:

…that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, [and] that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he [is] thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

When we as moms choose life, this life is passed on to our children. What a legacy to leave our children. A legacy of loyalty, faith, obedience and love to God.

Lessons from a Mamma Moose

What a site to see a mamma moose and her twin calves meandering up our drive-way. It was early one Monday morning and I had just made my way down the stairs and was listening to my family laughing and joking around after their early morning Bible class. I spent a little bit of time talking as is our usual routine before having worship. My husband had stepped out onto the porch to feed our dog and there they were. A cow moose and her twin calves.

During worship, we watched them wander about. At times we could only see the mother as she foraged for food and then she would disappear and either one or both of the calves would appear. They seemed to be about their business but each in its own world. We watched as they very slowly made their way up our drive. They were getting closer and closer and I was excited at the prospect of a closer view of these enormous and spectacular creatures from my huge living room window.

After we finished worship, my husband went out to feed the horses and to see if he could get some good pictures of our moose friends. I sat there for about a minute and I couldn’t resist the urge to go out and get a better view of our morning visitors. I quickly got dressed and headed out. The moose had started their way up the mountainside and my husband had found a place in the road where he could watch them. He signaled for me to come quickly but quietly. When I got to where he was crouched down, there was momma moose and her babies very close on the hind legs of their mother. When she took a step, they took a step. When she turned, they turned. What a beautiful sight.

My husband let me know that when the cow moose realized his presence, she called for her young. When the call of danger went out, they moved with dispatch to her side and remained there.

This early morning encounter bought a somber thought to my mind. Where are our young ones? Are they responding to our call as those twin calves? When there is danger lurking about, and we send out a call, do they stop and ask us why or do they move with quickness of mind and obedience? Are we teaching them to move quickly when we call?

Where Have I Been???

The blogging world!!!  I have spent hours searching and reading.  There is a blog for everything you could possible think of.  When I decided to enter the world of blogging, I was drawn in.  What is that thing that captivates?  That wants to keep you going to a blogroll and clicking onto any link that interests you?  The funny thing about it is, that I am not a computer guru even though I am surrounded by talented and competent computer users.  I can barely turn the thing on.  It has always been my philosophy "to get a piece of paper."  How impractical.  My family has been patient in answering my question and explaining the ins and outs of computer jargon.  I think I am now sold.  My husband just laughs and looks at me with a look of "I told you so."  His line of work is marketing and he spends countless hours in front of the computer screen and on the phone.  And trust me, I have spent just as much time preaching on the "evil" of spending so much time on the computer.  I won't tell you how many hours I have spent setting up, learning and searching information.  I wonder if my fmaily is wondering "where is my mother?"  This is a serious learning curve for someone who thought "a piece of paper" would do the job.  How archaic.  Where have I been?

Now, I have to write.  Hmm.  I am just now discovering that I have writer's block.  For the past 20 years, I have been writing nurses notes.  Critical writing.  Short, factual and concise.  Where was the creativity?  Can you imagine me creatively writing about a code blue event or creatively describing the eight different intravenous drips that a person has infusing.  How boring.  I now have to go pre-college days and dig out some creative writing skills.  There's a task for you!

As we were sitting around before family worship, I was expressing my new found experience in the computer world and how I was so gracious for learning something new and totally out of my realm.  My family laughed and began to express the virtues of computer knowledge and how it is used.  I finally got it.!!!

By the way, thanks to all you God-fearing, stay-at-home moms and wives, homeschool teachers, homemakers, women of wisdom (and the list goes on) that have inspired and paved the way.

12 New Things

Hey my friends, I am joining Sarah Mae over at Like A Warm Cup of Coffee to enrich my skills.  

August:  Learn how to use chain saw.  (My husband informed me that it doesn't come in pink.  What is this world coming to?)

September:  Learn Wordpress well

October:  Learn basic Photoshop

November: Make some serious aprons

December:  Learn to make a jean quilt

January:  Work on Machine quilting skills

February: Learn some basic embroidery stitches

March:  Learn to make laundry soap, bar soap, natural deodorant and toothpaste

April:   Learn something new about gardening

May:  Learn to efficiently use Canon 10-D

June:  

July:

Ongoing Spanish and piano

Join in and be inspired by what others are doing.  Like A Warm Cup of Coffee.

Some Things We Need

 The courage born of God, not man,

The truth to speak, cost what it may

The patience to endure the trials

That form a part of every day;

The purpose firm, the will to do

The right, wherever we may be;

The wisdom to reprove the faults

That in our loved ones we may see,--

Reprove in tone and spirit sweet,

And ne'er in temper's eloquence;

The heart to love the ones in wrong,

While wrong we hate in every sense;

The strength to do our daily task

As unto God,--for we're His own,--

To seek His approbation sweet,

And not men's praise, fame, or renown,--

These, these, and more, are things we need

If Christ we'd represent indeed.

C. C. Roberts

What inspires you???

What inspires me:

Contemplating God's deepest love.  It runs so deep that I do understand that we cannot comprehend it.  He has set so many object lessons in nature (that is why I believe nature is God's  lesson book).

Tulip coming up through snow

 

 

God's Holy Word

 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
   That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.  

2 Timothy 3:16-17 

 Early spring morning here--

The sounds of nature--birds preparing for their day

The stillness of the air

Crisp coolness of the air

The freshness of mountain air

Black-capped Chickadee on front porch

Cool spring evening here in the mountains!

 Sunny winter day with clear blue skies, about 30 degrees, undisturbed snow and total stillness--it is as if you were at the very gates of heaven

Daughters' ramblings about:

Ferry on the way to church

Montana Mountains:  
They are awe-inspiring

Why don't you shout back and let me know what inspires you.