2013 Reflections

Tonight I sat and reflected on this past year.  If I could summarize 2013 with one word it would be...

 bittersweet.  

While it was a difficult year in many ways, it was also a year of tremendous blessings. Many lessons were learned, many tears were shed, but there was joy and laughter throughout the year, in the midst of the pain.  God's love and faithfulness was evident every step of the way.

Here is a summary of our 2013. The ups,
                                                           the downs,
                                                                     the in betweens... 

January: Joe resigned from his job at BAMZ after being there for 6 years. God opened the door for full time ministry which we had been praying about for sometime. It's sometimes scary to step out in faith but we knew God was moving us in this direction and looked forward to embarking on this new journey.  

February: We took a monthlong family trip to Sri Lanka which was amazing! I got to celebrate my 40th birthday there. We spent precious time with my mom and dad, making memories, not knowing for sure  how much longer Ma would be with us.  

March: Joe began work at Cornerstone Bible Fellowship. 

April: We announced that Baby Furbert #5 was on the way and we started raising chickens!

May: Joe was ordained and officially took on the role as Associate Pastor at Cornerstone.  Eden turned 6. Joe completed his first half marathon.

June: My mom went home to be with The Lord. She passed on peacefully at home with Joe , my dad and I at her side.  Two days later, Marcus turned 3.

July & August: The summer went by quickly with VBS, Cornerstone kids camp, swimming, fishing, spending time with cousins and celebrating Eli's 8th birthday.

September: we began our 5th year of homeschooling. 

October: Isaiah Jordan made is entrance into the world.  

November: We celebrated Ma's life by planting a cedar tree, our 12th wedding anniversary and Micaiah's 10th birthday.  

December: This month was a blur with Christmas preparation and activities. Some highlights for me were making mince pies which was something my mom did every year, watching the kids perform at Grotto Bay hotel on Christmas Eve, and spending Christmas Day with our parents, being entertained by the kids with a show they put together.  

Definitely a roller coaster of a year but one that God used to strengthen my faith and draw me closer to him.  I don't know what 2014 has in store but I'm looking forward to whatever it brings... This year has taught me that whatever I am faced with, God will see me through :)

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

School's in!

On Friday we finished our second week of school and we are slowly getting into a new routine. After a year of many disruptions, I am enjoying a little bit of normalcy... well, enoying it while I can any way!  Sometime in the next few weeks we will welcome baby #5 and who knows what life will look like then!

This year I have a preschooler, 1st grader, 3rd grader and 5th grader.  As you can probably imagine our days are quite busy.

We are doing things a bit differently this year. During our past four years of homeschooling we have been quite eclectic in our approach to learning, not depending on one curriculum or method of teaching, but incorporating many different resources.  The benefits of this is you can meet the individual needs and interests of the learners.  We have had a very relaxed approach to learning as I attempt to develop in each child a love for learning.  My philosophy is once they love learning you can teach them almost anything and in many cases, they will learn on their own.

The down side of this approach for me is that it is very time consuming to pull all of these resources together, especially having so many different levels to focus on.  I also have a firstborn who loves routine and structure almost to a fault. This type of learning was not really fitting in with his style.  His desire to keep on a schedule was being hindered by a mom who's ability to think beyond a day at time especially the last 4 months of the school year, was lacking (think morning sickness, no energy, watching my mom slip away... not a good combination for being an organized homeschooler!!)

But this is the beauty of homeschooling... you find what works for your child and make it happen!  This year we are making more use of specific curricula.  Micaiah's is very structured and rigorous (traditional school at home) while the rest are a little more relaxed, but most of the planning is done for me.  And so far, 2 weeks in it seems to be working.

Micaiah (Grade 5/ Primary 6) is enrolled at A Beka Academy.  Video streamed classes with text books, reading materials, and testing materials for the entire year all sent to us.  All I do for him is supervise his learning, grade his work and be available to answer questions he may have.  He is really enjoying it so far, staying on top of his assignments and taking ownership of his schedule.  He loves to check off what he has finished and he enjoys watching the classes on line. 

Eli (grade 3/ Primary 4) and Eden (grade 1/ Primary 2) are using the same curricula,  learning a lot together and enjoying it.  Even through they are 2 grade levels apart the main curriculum covers ages 6 to 8 so it is a perfect fit for us.  I do  math, spelling/ reading separately for them but the rest is worked on together.

We are using Moving Beyond the Page which is a comprehensive homeschool curriculum that covers science, social studies, and language arts. It is a unit based curriculum which encourages hands on learning, and focuses on developing critical and creative thinking.  The first 2 weeks have been a lot of fun as we are learning about communities around the world.

For math, we are using RightStart Math which uses visual, auditory, and kinesthetic approaches to teaching mathematics.  Both are using the same program but Eli is moving at a faster pace as much of it is review for him and it is new learning for Eden.  So far I like the program but I will have to do a proper review after we have used it for a few months.

We are continuing to use All About Spelling which I used in the past for Micaiah and Eli.  It is new to Eden this year and I am combining it with All About Reading for her.  Again a kinesthetic, visual and auditory approach... do you notice a theme here??  I have 2 very hands on learners that I think will thrive with these programs.  The best part for me is that there is very little planning for all of them.  Most lessons I have to simply open the teachers manual and go to it.  There are some lessons that require some advance planning like having supplies ready, gathering books from the library etc. which I think I can handle!!

It was apparent in the spring/ early summer that Marcus would need a more structured preschool program. I was going to wait until he was 4 and just continue this year with learning though guided play and lots of free play as we had been doing.  He catches on to lots by listening in on everyone's lessons so I decided to do something a little more formal with him.  I found  ABC Jesus Loves Me which is a free curriculum plan.  These past two weeks we learned about Creation, counting using "5 Little Ducks" and the sense of hearing using "Mr. Brown can Moo, Can You?"  Each week there is a different bible story, book, number, colour and letter to focus on as well as ideas for fine motor and gross motor development.  Marcus also has bible verses to learn each week and he now proudly says Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  I'll have to post a video of him reciting it if he cooperates with me!

School's in for Mommy to... I am currently in the hardest season I have ever been in in my life but God is teaching me many lessons.  Prayerfully I'll have a good report card at the end of it all!  I will share these lessons with you in hopes that they will be an encouragement to someone else.

Lesson #1: to put my own ideas aside and be open to change.  Micaiah's program is not one I would have chosen or at first felt would fit into our style but I had to put my own agenda aside.  I depended on God to give me peace about it and he made it clear in my heart that this was the right route.

Lesson #2:  I HAVE to start each day with the LORD.  The days that I haven't tend to be disastrous.   The kids attitudes and behavours overwhelm me more on those days, I am more tired and cranky and have far less patience.  God truly sustains me. His power is always available for me... I just have to partake!

Lesson #3 I am currently reading Kingdom Woman by Tony Evans and Chrystal Evans Hurst (highly recommended).  Here is a quote that has really encouraged and kept me going over the past couple weeks.

"If you are going to live in excellence, you have to forget yesterday. Whether it was good, bad, or ugly, if it’s yesterday, you need to let it go. When you carry yesterday further than you ought to, you ruin today. If you ruin today, then you spoil tomorrow."

I will leave you with that and pray that it is an encouragement to you.  Whether you are a homeschool mom, single person, teenager, dad... whoever, it is true for you too!

Until next time,

Five Minute Friday {LONELY}

 In an attempt to begin writing again and get those creative juices flowing,  I decided to join up with 5 minute Friday this week.
 
You are given a one word prompt... then put 5 minutes on the clock and just write.  Don't edit, don't over think, just WRITE!

Today's word is  LONELY.  Hmmm  ok 3...2..1... GO!

Lonely

pain. grief. burdened
feeling ALONE

but am I?
no,
Not alone. 

sympathy. empathy. blessings 

a hug
an email
a call
flowers
dinner
groceries
a card
a hand written note

all reminders that He will never leave you alone.

sometimes feeling LONELY but not ALONE.

These are all ways I have been touched over the last 6 weeks.  I have so much to be thankful for.  My prayer is that my eyes and heart will be open to the needs of those around me... those who are hurting, broken and lonely... that they also will know they are not truly alone.


My first 5 minute Friday! Want to join in?  take a look here for more info.

 

In Search of a New Normal

Taking a look back at my blog I realized it is nearly a year since my last entry...

 And what a year it has been...

Ecclesiastes 3: 1- 8 says:

There is a time for everything...
   
        and a season for every activity under the heavens:

              a time to be born and a time to die,
                      a time to plant and a time to uproot,   

                                   a time to kill and a time to heal,
                                           a time to tear down and a time to build,     

                                                           a time to weep and a time to laugh,
            a time to mourn and a time to dance,  

                             a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
                                     a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,     

                                                                         a time to search and a time to give up,
                                              a time to keep and a time to throw away, 

                              a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,   

 a time to love and a time to hate,
                            a time for war and a time for peace.

I think there has been a time for all of that in my life this year. 

I started this blog to have a place to record memories. A place I could go back to in years to come to remember...

For this past year I couldn't blog. The time was not there.  The desire was not there.  The words would not flow....

         I don't need a blog to remember this year... the events of this year are forever etched
                                                   in my heart and mind...


Our family trip of a lifetime.

Turning 40.

Becoming a pastor's wife (no I didn't find a new husband, my husband became a pastor :)

Cheering on with admiration as my husband completed his first half-marathon.

Ending another year of homeschooling.

Watching my mother fight valiantly against breast cancer.
Watching her take her last breath.
Experiencing heartache like never before and beyond anything I could have ever imagined.

Saying goodbye to 2 friends who left the island.

Saying goodbye a month later as another dear friend and mentor moved away. (thankful for Facebook)

Preparing my heart and our home for our fifth child (due in about 10 weeks.)
Being blessed beyond measure as we prepare for this unexpected gift from God.

Being spiritually stretched and broken.
Experiencing mountains, valleys and everything in between.

This year, I have felt defeated,
                           I have doubted,
                                    I have been stubborn,
                                                         I have failed...

but over and over , and over and over...

I've been reminded of God's sovereignty.
                                    His faithfulness.
                                    His goodness.
                                    His mercy
                             and His grace.


So a new page, a new chapter, a new beginning...

I now need this blog to help me move on. 

To help me to stop and appreciate the little things

 I have overlooked in the whirlwind of last year.

To help me pause and reflect on the work 

God is doing in my life and in my family. 

To give me evidence of the bright days 

on those days that the sun is hidden behind the clouds. 

This will be a bittersweet year. 

The first with our new little one...

The first without my mom... 

....by Gods grace I will get through it and prayerfully, 

                                                             this time next year, 

                                                                              as I look back, 

                                                                                           there will be evidences of 

                                                                                                                             our

                                                                                                                             new

                                                                                                                             normal.

 

Mud Cakes

I read something a few days ago that I can't get out of my mind. Something that has both bothered and convicted me.

I had picked up an informational booklet about the organization Feed my Lambs, a ministry which provides housing, food and education to the impoverished in Haiti.   As I read it, I came across this:

"As soon as I arrived in Haiti I was overwhelmed by the enormous need that was all around me.  There were ladies on the side of the street mixing mud with oil and salt to bake and feed it to their families for the evening meal.  Mud cakes they called it."- Philip Rego, Founder of Feed My Lambs

I read this and my heart grew heavy. Eating MUD? No way!!  I had to Google this. Not because I doubted the credibility of the organization but because it was so unbelievable to me that I wanted to know more.  I found several reports and pictures online that provided more information.   Although most of the reports were from 2008 and 2010 directly after devastation of hurricanes and the notorious earthquake it is probably still a reality for some.

I did not consider myself naive to poverty and world hunger.   Sure,  I have seen the pictures of starving children,  I have seen begging firsthand in my mother's homeland but something about this spoke to the desperation of these mothers struggling to keep their families alive and it shook me to my core.

We are a family of six living on a single income in a country with a very high cost of living.  Over the past few years, there have been many departures of foods from my shopping cart that I once thought of as necessities. I have had to be very creative in the kitchen to make meals stretch especially when there has been more month than money.

But we have never been hungry.
                           My kids have never missed a meal.
                                                       God has always provided...
...but yet I have complained.

Complained that we couldn't afford strawberries.
                    Complained that the budget didn't allow for a new recipe I wanted to try.
                                                      Complained that we've had the same meal for a few days.

Not out loud ...but in my heart.

Wanting more.   Wanting bigger.   Wanting better.  Wanting easier....

All while mothers are feeding their children mud.

Oh God,  please forgive me.

The Empty Tomb!

I was surfing the internet the other day looking for craft ideas for Easter. I love decorating eggs and making flowers, but I wanted something that focused on the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Just as we don't dwell on Santa Claus at Christmas, Easter at our house is not about the Easter bunny and chocolate eggs. When I stumbled upon this picture on this blog, I knew this was a definite project for this year.


Last week we invited over some fellow home learners and had a fun time putting together these mini resurrection gardens.  It was an opportunity to reinforce why we celebrate Easter... the resurrection of Christ, the celebration of eternal life available to those who put their trust in our risen Savior! 

Now we are just waiting for Resurrection Day (... and the grass to grow :)  What are some ways you teach your kids about Resurrection Day?  I'd love to hear your ideas.

 

For the bad days...

Sometimes I read blogs where it seems like the author never has a bad day.  Life is perfect, their kids are perfect, the are the most crafty (in the arts and crafts sense), most spiritual, there homes are immaculate, and they never lose their cool.    It is so easy for bloggers, myself included, to only document the good times, the crafts that worked, the angelic behaviours of our kids.  Sometimes we live double lives.. the blog world and the real world. 
 
So it was refreshing to read this post a couple days ago... "When Motherhood feels like Misery".  I could completely relate to the young mother who wrote it.  Yes, I am admitting that there are days that I don't want to be a mom.   There are days that I sit and try and figure out how I can run away...seriously I do.   There are days I yell way too much, days that the house is turned upside down and I have no desire to turn it right way up, days that I am so overwhelmed that I can't think straight. 

Have you been there?

Praise God we don't have to stay there... God gives us these tough times so we can learn to trust him.

There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1: 6-7 NLT

 How is God teaching me to get through tough times?
 
I need to remember to stay in the race... This is the mission God has give me... he has blessed me with these kids and given me the role of mom and the task of raising them.  The  Christian life is not a sprint, it is a marathon... a long distance race.  When I am feeling down in the dumps, the one thing my husband always asks is "have you had your quiet time?" and strongly encourages me to do so if I haven't (Husbands... did you get that?  Lead and encourage your wives... I truly appreciate Joe's spiritual leadership).    I don't know about you but for me it is very easy to slack off bible reading and prayer time when I am feeling bad or having a rough time.  I have learned though, that this is the worst thing to do.  Just like marathon running,  if you stop moving, it is hard to get going again.   Even when it feels like you are just going through the motions, go through the motions!

It was during one of these"going-through-the-motions-times"  recently that God spoke to me through His word.  I was having a bad week.. one of those "how-can-I-escape" weeks.  I felt depleted... I knew that I was doing what God wanted me to but I was not really enjoying where he had me.  

 I was studying  Psalm 51 and I came across verse 12.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

 Sometimes I try to fix how I am feeling but this verse was reminding me to ask God to restore and sustain. He provides a willing spirit to sustain me.  I was meditating on this for a while and then I read on to the next verse.  King David, the psalmist wasn't asking for the restoration of joy and to be sustained by God only for his own personal satisfaction... read it...

THEN I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

 
As I meditated on this I changed verse 13 to say this:

Then I will teach my kids your ways so that my kids will turn to you. (they are transgressors and sinners that need to be turned to God right?!) 

This was such a reminder to me of why I am doing what I am doing.. to teach my kids they ways of God so that they will turn to him.  If I keep that as my focus instead of how hard it is, I can keep going.

In addition to staying in God's word, trusting him and focusing on why I am doing what I am doing, I have learned some other ways to get through those tough motherhood days and weeks:

Know when to take a break.  Some days when things are not going well, I call it quits, I put on a dvd for the kids and give myself a time out.

Examine your  schedule.   If you are feeling frazzled, chances are you are doing too much.  I tend to have overly high expectations of what can get done in a day.  We have to learn how to manage our expectations.   Someone once told me "There are a lot of things that are good to do but not everything is BEST for you and your family."  Get in the habit of weeding out the things that are only good and ask God to help you determine what is best.

Don't compare yourself to anyone.  God has made you who you are and has a specific will for you.  We all have a different calling, different gifts, different strengths and weaknesses...and that is okay! 

Have a support system and know when to ask for and accept help.  We want to see ourselves as superwomen and try and do it all ourselves.  Society and culture have taught us that strength is in independence... I can do it by myself, I don't need anyone. We see it as a flaw to ask for help or accept it when offered. It is not strength, it is pride.  Whether it is calling a prayer partner to pray for you or asking someone to watch the kids for an hour or two so you can get away or saying yes when someone comes to visit and offers to wash your dishes... learn how to ask for and accept help.  

Motherhood is the toughest job I have ever had, it is a high calling and thankfully one I don't have to do alone and neither do you.  If you are frazzled, stressed out, not enjoying the journey call on God to restore and sustain your joy.  He is faithful to answer.


 Be blessed,
 

The PERFECT Planner

I am not a shopper.  I get very little joy from buying new clothes, shoes, jewelry, accessories but the things I am a sucker for are things like journals, notebooks, pens and planners.  I could spend hours and lots of money in a stationery store.  For me there's nothing like starting a new planner or writing on the first page of a new journal.  So when I stumbled upon erincondren.com it was love at first sight!  This company sells, amongst many other things, personalized notebooks and planners.  I have been trying to find the perfect planner  so when I saw the 2012 Life Planner, I really wanted it (I know it is February and I probably should have had something for the beginning of the year but hey, better late than never!)  I was so excited to place the order... it cost me an arm and a leg for shipping but my hubby agreed to let me splurge a bit (Thanks Babe!) 

And then I had to wait for the package to arrive.  I am not the most patient person so I obsessively checked the Fedex tracking site until it landed!

I knew the package would be delivered on Thursday and in my perfect world this is how it would go:  

The package would arrive and my lovely, well behaved children would be busy with their school work, Marcus would be napping, I would whisk the package away from the Fed ex guy (thanking him of course)  sit down with my freshly made caramel latte, put my feet up and enjoy ripping open the package.   I would spend the next ten minutes exploring my beautiful new Erin Condren 2012 Life Planner and another 30 minutes filling in all of our appointment, birthdays, soccer practices, ballet lessons...you get the picture...

This my friends is what really happened.  It was Thursday,  so that meant my father in law was over to  give music lessons to the kids.  One child who will remain unnamed had decided that today was not a good day for music lessons and then proceeded to go to their room and slam the door.  The next child was called for their lesson.   I went to deal with the door slamming stubborn child while leaving the third child to keep an eye on Marcus who was now 20 minutes late for his nap but needed to have a diaper change.  In the midst of the disciplinary session I hear "Mommy! There are 3 people at the door!" being shouted through the house.  I wondering how big this life planner is that it takes 3 people to deliver it...I know my life is busy but the planner does need to fit in my purse! I leave a "now crying, not so stubborn, sorry he slammed the door" child in room to think about his behaviour.  As I walk briskly through the kitchen towards the front door I notice that the child who was supposed to be keeping an eye on Marcus had dumped a cup full of flour on the counter and was now proceeding to sweep it everywhere with a pastry brush (did I mention I was making cookies in the midst of this all?)  Marcus was at the door, ready to greet the three people with a sagging diaper, now 30 minutes past his naptime.  My father in law has thankfully made it to the door ahead of me and  nicely let them know I would be right with them.  As I get to the door there is one Fed Ex guy and 2 ladies carrying oversized purses... yes, Jehovah's Witnesses.  Anyway I deal with the Fed ex guy first.  I have to pay customs duty for the package (it has now cost me the other arm and leg) so I ask him to excuse me while I go and get my purse.  I need to pay with a card as I never have cash... the Fed ex guy needs to borrow my phone to call in the payment... is he serious?  Has he ever tried to find a cordless phone in the middle of a chaotic household...especially one that is not ringing?!  Back to the kitchen, child with pastry brush is still sweeping away, locate phone, payment is authorized, sign the slip, accept the package.  The 2 nice ladies are still on the step  and want to give me a booklet titled "The Happy Family" or "Raising a Happy Family" or something like that... They must have seen I looked a bit frazzled! I  tell them thank you but that I probably won't read it so I won't take it.  They then ask me if I homeschool... I felt like saying "No I run a circus, can't you tell." But I didn't, we had a quick chat about homeschooling and they were on their way.  I close the door try to restore some order to the chaos, get Marcus to nap, clean up the flour, and then I crack open the box and take a peek.  My Life Planner... it looks perfect...

And opening it in the midst of chaos was a perfect reminder to me that although I may find a perfect planner,  life will still be chaotic and unexpected at times but if we keep our eyes on the Master Planner HE will give us peace!  HE  is the Perfect Planner so I pray that as I use my new planner I will remember to rely on God and trust in the perfect plans he has for me.

Psalm 119:133 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Isaiah 26:3  You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. 

Fully Equipped

Last year, I started out the year by reading the Bible in 90 days (you can read about that here.) It was a great experience, one I wished to repeat so I decided to do the same this year.

January 2nd I started full of enthusiasm and ready to go but sometime after the fourth day I started to fall behind.
 1 day behind...
          2 days behind...
                    catch up a little...
                               3 days behind... that's been the pattern for the past week.

On Friday I was discouraged. Not because I am behind... it's the time spent with God, reading and understanding the message of the Bible, that matters most for me. I was discouraged because for days I had been picking up God's word and reading but I wasn't getting anything out of it... I was praying for God to give me something fresh each day but I was struggling to get through the reading. Have you ever been in the place when you know you are just going through the motions? That's exactly where I was on Friday and I was even asking God if I should be doing the 90 day plan. "Maybe you didn't want me to do this, I should just scrap it and start again another time, I can do some other devotional or bible study instead."

Then God showed up.. just in time like he always does.  Right in the midst of my discouragement, as I was struggling through the book of Exodus, he encouraged me.

Before I tell you the passage and how it spoke to me, let me first tell you that I was having a bad week...  it was our first full week back to school after Christmas break and by Tuesday I was ready to call it quits!  I was feeling inadequate as a mom, inadequate as a teacher, I thought that the only thing my kids were learning from me was how to yell.   It was definitely "one of those weeks".  All that was running through my head was "I can't do this anymore."

So back to Friday morning during my time with God, desperate for something else, something new but doubting whether I would find it in Exodus.. in the middle of the chapters where God was giving Moses the requirements for setting up the tabernacle:  "Make an alter for incense... make a bronze basin... take fragrant spices..."  AND THEN....

Chapter 31...

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! “And I have personally appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can make all the things I have commanded you to make."

It was GOD that appointed these men and GOD who equipped these men.  GOD gave them the wisdom, ability and expertise.. HE has gifted them.


I heard God loud and clear...

               "I have appointed you, Rusheika to be the mother of these children.  I have appointed you to teach them.   AND  I have equipped you to do just that. 
                                                  Trust me... follow me...      
                                                                 so you can do the things I have commanded you to do."

A Word for 2012

 

Intentional... Does that word sound familiar?

If you have been following my blog for a while you will know that this was my word for 2011. 

 In 2011 I wanted to be intentional...

Intentional as a wife...
                           as a mom...
                                    as a friend...
                                             as a student the Word of God...

I wanted to be intentional in every way I lived my life.

SO...  as it draws to a close, I am reflecting on this year. 

It is a year that flew by.  

It have been a good year in many ways, a tough year in many ways.  

I have been stretched, I have grown and I am still learning MANY things.

As a wife, I have prayed more for my husband, I have tried to listen more, be less selfish, and love him more fully.

As a mom, I have tried to have more fun with my kids, tried to understand and meet their individual needs.

As a friend I have tried to listen more, talk less.

As a student of the Word of God, I read through the Bible, studied Philippians, memorized scripture.

I didn't always get it right...I have messed up and I have gotten back up.

I have experienced God's grace, God's leading and God's blessings.

SO what about 2012?

I want to continue to be intentional in every area of my life but I have been praying over the last few weeks about another word to help guide this new year.  

The word that continues to come to my mind and heart is ...

Temperate.

tem·per·ate  [tem-per-it, tem-prit] adjective

1.moderate or self-restrained; not extreme in opinion, statement, etc.: a temperate response to an insulting challenge.

2.moderate as regards indulgence of appetite or passion, especially in the use of alcoholic liquors.

3.not excessive in degree, as things, qualities, etc.

Through God's power I will be...

Temperate in my speech. 

Self controlled in my interactions with my husband, my children and others. 

Sensible in decision making and goal setting. 

Not unreasonable in my expectations of myself and others.

Prudent in my spending.

Moderate in my eating.

Pure in my thoughts and deeds. 

One area I commit to NOT be temperate in is my witness for Christ!  

I want to live boldly

on

FIRE 

for HIM 

this year!  

What about you?  Is God speaking to you about how you should live your life in 2012? Prayerfully consider how you will make a difference and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you!

Countdown to Christmas: Truth in the Tinsel

Wow! how did it get to be December already?!

I was really excited to come across an e-book this week called "Truth in the Tinsel" written by Amanda White of impressyourkids.org.

Before I found it I had been planning to use the Jesse Tree Devotional we used last year as a countdown to Christmas. It is a great devotional but a little over the kids heads. I did a lot of paraphrasing last year and I wasn't sure how much of it they absorbed.

This e-book however was written with younger kids in mind and so far has proven to be just what we need. The book provides a scripture reading and instructions for making an ornament for each day of December leading up to Christmas.

There are little clue cards that I printed on the back of patterned paper and have strung up across our mantle. Each day for our Truth in the Tinsel time, the kids turn over the next clue and try to figure out what the word of the day is.

As I read the scripture the shout out the word they think as I read it. For example, day one's clue was a candle. The scripture reading talked about the Saviour being a light. Each time I read the word light, they shouted out light. They love that part as I am usually telling them NOT to shout things out. After we read, I talk to them about the key word and introduce the craft of the day. While they are making the craft we have a discussion about the meaning of the scripture, its relationship to Christmas and any lesson we can learn for our own lives. So far the whole process has been a hit... for the kids, and for me! The crafts are easy to prepare and to put together, the devotional is simple and easy enough for Eden to understand but challenging enough to also keep Micaiah's attention.

Here are some pictures from our first 3 days:

Candle ornament- Jesus is our light

Busy at work

Crowns: Jesus is our King

Zechariah with a bubble mouth that the kids popped (to symbolize God making him unable to speak).

Do you have little kids?  Go and check out Truth in the Tinsel.  It's not too late to jump in.  Amanda provides alternate schedules for those that can't or don't want to make all 24 crafts.

Stay tuned for more!

Book Review: The Pirate Queen

The Pirate Queen by Patricia Hickman

Treasure is found in the most unlikely places. The envy of all her friends, wife and mother Saphora Warren is the model of southern gentility and accomplishment. She lives in a beautiful Lake Norman home, and has raised three capable adult children. Her husband is a successful plastic surgeon--and a philanderer. It is for that reason that, after hosting a garden party for Southern Living magazine, Saphora packs her bags to escape the trappings of the picturesque-but-vacant life. Saphora’s departure is interrupted by her husband Bender’s early arrival home, and his words that change her life forever: I’m dying. Against her desires, Saphora agrees to take care of Bender as he fights his illness. They relocate, at his insistence, to their coastal home in Oriental—the same house she had chosen for her private getaway. When her idyllic retreat is overrun by her grown children, grandchildren, townspeople, relatives, and a precocious neighbor child, Saphora’s escape to paradise is anything but the life she had imagined. As she gropes for evidence of God's presence amid the turmoil, can she discover that the richest treasures come in surprising packages? 

I was given the e-book version of this book to review by Waterbrook Multnomah. I had never hear of the author, Patricia Hickman, but the description sounded interesting. I was drawn in after the first few chapters. Hickman's writing style makes the characters come to life and the plot while starting off seemingly predictable takes several unexpected twists which keeps you turning the pages.  There were times I laughed, times I got mad, and times I cried.  I definitely didn't want to put it down.   For me that makes it really good read.

Throughout the book, the themes of forgiveness and grace were woven together in a captivating story which was uplifting and encouraging and pointed toward experiencing God's presence in the midst of pain.  The gospel, the redeeming message of Christ,  was clearly presented and was well positioned in the plot.  My favourite character had to be Tobias,  the young boy who unknowingly helps to change Saphora's outlook on life.  His positive attitude and determination while faced with huge trials was a challenging example of how to live life fully no matter what you are faced with.   

I will definitely be looking for more titles by Patricia Hickman.. especially if I get that Kindle on my wish list (hint, hint my dear hubby:)

Disclaimer: I received this book (e-book version) from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this honest review.

 

Book Review: Lioness Arising

I recently signed up at Blogging for Books as a reviewer and was excited to choose my first title. After reading through several descriptions, one in particular caught my attention. I had never heard of this author and speaker,  Lisa Bevere  but the title and subject of the book seemed intriguing.

The following description roped me into wanting to read it.

Lioness Arising offers the life and image of the lioness as a fierce and tender model for women. Revealing the surprising characteristics of this amazing creature. Lisa challenges women to discover fresh passion, prowess, and purpose.

Learn what it means to:
- be a stunning representation of strength
- fiercely protect the young
- lend your voice to the silenced
- live in the light and hunt in the dark
- raise a collective roar that changes everything

Packed with remarkable insights from nature and a rich depth of biblical references to lionesses, Lioness Arising is a call for women to rise up in strength and numbers to change their world.

So what did I think?

While the author made some inspiring points and drew a number fascinating of parallels between lionesses and how we as Christians should live, I was disappointed and concerned over two very important aspects of the book.

The first red flag for me was the author use of The Message version of the Bible.  While I have no problem with using this version of the Bible to engage readers and make the Bible understandable in today's context, it is not in my opinion a study bible and should not be used as such.  I felt that the author used several passages out of context and even at one point argued a critical biblical point on one word  that does not appear in the original Greek.  (page 90)  Because most of the scripture references given were quoted from The Message, I had to read this book with my study Bible open to cross reference what she was saying.

The second concern I had was in chapter six entitled Under the Same Mission where Bevere addressed the role of women in the church.  I did not agree with her interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11 and was concerned about her views of submission.  Again, she used the Message to make her points, watering down sound Biblical doctrine.

While parts of the  book were impelling, these concerns make it difficult for me to recommend it.  I strongly caution anyone who chooses to read this book to study the scriptures for yourself and not depend on the author's interpretation of scripture.

Disclaimer: I received this book (e-book version) from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for this honest review.

A new place: Hiding and Seeking

I have a new blog.

If you have been following me, you will know that on January 3  I began a plan to read the entire Bible in 90 Days.  I am joining hundreds of women who have linked up through Mom's Toolbox and each week we check in as a form of accountability and encouragement to each other.

Wow, what a journey it has been so far!  I have read though Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deutoronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings, 1& 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job and I am presently reading though Psalms.

All I can say is GOD is so faithful, patient, merciful...

His love for his people is beyond measure!

In order for me to keep up with the reading I found that it is best for me to get up and get it done first thing in the morning.  I am NOT a morning person and since having Marcus I had not gotten back in any sort of routine that involved getting up early on a consistent basis.  Last year I began following Kat's blog, Inspired to Action where she encourages readers to "Maximise Your Mornings"... establish a morning routine and make the most of your day. Three weeks ago I signed up for the "Hello Mornings Challenge" and now have a great accountability group through Twitter.  I am up each morning at 5:30 knowing there are other women who are doing the same thing (many of whom are also doing the Bible in 90 days challenge) and we are praying for and encouraging each other along the way.

The leader of my accountability group is Katie Orr who blogs at Do Not Depart.  She is hosting a challenge to memorize the entire book of Philippians and I feel God leading me to join in.  I will be learning five verses a week and at that pace it should take about 21 weeks. Even if it takes much longer than that I will press on because it has been a while since I have been intentional about memorizing God's word and I really feel him leading me in this way.

So why a new blog?  I had been recording my Bible in 90 Days thoughts on this blog (here and here and here and here), which started out as a homeschooling blog.  I want to keep the focus of this one more on our family and homeschooling and have the new one as more of a personal blog to follow along this journey of HIDING God's word in my heart and earnestly SEEKing him.

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Psalm 119:10-11

So join me at Hide and Seek!  It is my prayer that as you follow along with me you will be encouraged to Hide and Seek as well.