left to right:
Beth as Ma(Caroline) and the eldest, Mary, holding Carrie
Carolynne as Laura, holding baby Grace
Will as Pa
On the roof, their stuffed dog, Brownie, as Jack the Bulldog
note: This past week, Will has indulged himself
into reading "Little House on the Prairie"
and a few chapter books and biography books
that complement the original,
hence, the Ingalls in our backyard. ;o)
"Be ye therefore followers of God,as dear children."~ Ephesians 5:1As a mother, the Lord is faithful in teaching me much through my children.During my quiet time with Him one day,I read this verse:"Be ye therefore followers of God,as dear children."~ Ephesians 5:1Those words stood out to me so much.As I sat and meditated on this Scripture, the Lord opened my eyes...and He used my children to teach me.He didn't want me to just read that verse and then move on to the next, unaffected.He had something to show me.He led me to observe my children...Oh, how they love their daddy!He showed me more, as He guided me to recallinstances of their childhood, past and present.They truly did/do love their daddy."Mommy, where is Daddy?When will he be home?""I miss Daddy.""I want Daddy."Throughout the day,whether Daddy was at work, outside, running an errand, deployed overseas...wherever he was/is, these questions are present.The Lord helped me to look deeperinto these statements,to see a glimpse of their hearts...... they love their daddy, are seeking him,expecting him, trusting him to return,desiring him, incomplete without him,are comforted by him,they anticipate his arrival,they watch out the window for himand are, oh, so excited when he arrives!They run to greet him, to embrace him,to tell him they've missed him,and tell him all about their day...Desiring, more than anything, his fellowship,special time with him, his love and affection.They look up to him, admire him,respect and reverence him, desire to please him,and they want to be like him when they grow up.His Word, there before me..."Be ye therefore followers of God,as dear children."~ Ephesians 5:1"...as dear children."...What a parrallel to examine my heart with...Do I love, really love, my Heavenly Father?Am I seeking Him? Excpecting Him?Trusting Him to return?Do I desire Him? Am comforted by Him?See that I'm incomplete without Him?Do I anticipate His arrival? Watching for Him?Do I run to my Heavenly Father with excitement?Am I eager to fellowshipand spend special time with Him?Do I yearn for Him all the day long?Do I adore, respect, reverence Him?Do I, with all my heart, want to be like Him?"Be ye therefore followers of God,as dear children."~ Ephesians 5:1There was more He showed me...I recalled and witnessed how,when their daddy tells or reads a story,they listen intently and whole heartedlywith wide eyes and devoted ears."... as dear children."...How do I listen to my Heavenly Father?Am I easily distracted from His Wordas He is trying to speak to me?Or do I listen intently and whole heartedlywith wide eyes, wanting to see,devoted ears, aching to hear,and a heart of deep reverence,willing to please and obey?"Be ye therefore followers of Godas dear children."~ Ephesians 5:1There was more...I recalled how the children listen to, remember, and repeatwhat their daddy says."My daddy said, 'this' and 'this'. "Do I so boldly share what my Heavenly Father says?And, oh, how eager and excited they areto talk about their daddy!They use every opportunity(and sometime make the opportunity)to tell others all about their daddy!"... as dear children."...Am I so eager and excited to talk about my Heavenly Fatherand share Him with others?Do I take advantage of every opportunityor go out of my way to make one?"Be ye therefore followers of God,as dear children."~ Ephesians 5:1Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of children.Thank you for using them to teach mein such simplicity.Thank you that I am Your child.May I always have a teachable spirit.May I never be unaffected and unchangedby Your Word.May I be a doer of Your Wordand not a hearer only.May I follow You, Heavenly Father,as dear children.
This morning, it was insisted upon
that I sleep in a bit... so I graciously obliged. ;o)
About half an hour later,
I was informed that I could arise.
I walked downstairs, smelling wonderful aromas,
and proceeded to the dining room,
where all of the children were sitting at the table,
smiling sweetly, and greeted me with
a hearty "Surprise!" in unison.
The table was set and on it lay breakfast...
waffles and tater tots...
and a cup of coffee, just for Mom. ;o)
In addition, I was given this note:
It was precious.
We enjoyed a lovely breakfast together.
The rest of our day was similar to yesterday.
Ally was able to accomplish much
in Worldview, History, Math, Advanced Chemistry
and Literature reading.
Here she was working at them...
She, also, practiced piano and violin. ;o)
Will and I were able to accomplish much, also.
He did some copywork for math
and for a Scripture verse he chose to meditate on.
For history, we read about our constitution
from the book "A More Perfect Union"
and about the poem/song "America the Beautiful".
Then, for science, we read from our Burgess Bird Book
about the English Sparrow.
It really interested us, so we, also, read an excerpt
from our "Handbook of Nature Study",
then did some dictation.
Afterwards, he enjoyed looking through
our "Handbook of Nature Study" more...
The lil' girls enjoyed more constructive and creative play,
as well as doing a little "school"
(because they enjoy it, too). ;o)
We did a picture narration
and then they wanted to do a little copywork.
Here they were eagerly working...
It was a blessing to see the children enjoying learning.Tomorrow the three girls go for a dentist appointmentand we hope to spend an afternoon with friends. I hope y'all have enjoyed your day, too!"And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long."~ Psalm 35:28
(photo from NCbirds.com)The English SparrowSo dainty in plumage and hue,A study in grey and in brown,How little, how little we knewThe pest he would prove to the town!From dawn until daylight grows dim,Perpetual chatter and scold.No winter migration for him,Not even afraid of the cold!Scarce a song-bird he fails to molest,Belligerent, meddlesome thing!Wherever he goes as a guestHe is sure to remain as a King.~ Mary Isabeela ForsythEnglish Sparrowsdictation by Will, age 9They are pushy birds.They are the "Goops" among other birds. ;o)They are one inch longer than the chipping sparrow.The male has reddish-brown on either side of the head.They like to eat grain, rice, oats, barley,ripening fruit and more.It does not fly south for the winter.They are chatterboxes.
"Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah."~ Psalm 84:3-4
Quite some time ago, I came across this list
of 31 Ways to Pray for Our Military.
I had originally found it at a website
(as a disclaimer, I do NOT endorse that site
but mention it to give credit to the original list)
but took some time to alter it a bit
by adding additional Scriptures
and listing the Scripture (KJB)
instead of just giving the reference.
Below is that altered list:
1. Protection
"The angel of the LORD encampeth round about
them that fear him, and delivereth them."
~ Psalm 34:7
"Thou art my hiding place;
thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
thou shalt compass me about
with songs of deliverance. Selah."
~ Psalm 32:7
2. Wisdom
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,
that giveth to all men liberally,
and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
~ James 1:5
"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory, may give unto you
the spirit of wisdom and revelation
in the knowledge of him" ~ Ephesians 1:17
3. Peace
"And the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:7
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee." ~ Isaiah 26:3
4. Presence of God
"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble." ~ Psalm 46:1
"When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies,
and seest horses, and chariots,
and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them:
for the LORD thy God is with thee,
which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt."
~ Deuteronomy 20:1
5. Strength
"That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory,
to be strengthened with might
by his Spirit in the inner man" ~ Ephesians 3:16
"With whom my hand shall be established:
mine arm also shall strengthen him." ~ Psalm 89:21
6. Clear Mind
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
~ 2 Timothy 1:7
7. Security
"Keep me as the apple of the eye,
hide me under the shadow of thy wings"
Psalm 17:8
"And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope;
yea, thou shalt dig about thee,
and thou shalt take thy rest in safety."
Job 11:18
8. Health for Physical Body
"I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13
"Behold, I will bring it health and cure,
and I will cure them,
and will reveal unto them
the abundance of peace and truth."
Jeremiah 33:6
9. Courage
"Have not I commanded thee?
Be strong and of a good courage;
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:
for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest." ~ Joshua 1:9
"Be of good courage,
and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people,
and for the cities of our God:
and let the LORD do that which is good in his sight."
1 Chronicles 19:13
10. To Help Others
"Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory;
but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem other better than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things,
but every man also on the things of others."
~ Philippians 2:3-4
"Be kindly affectioned one to another
with brotherly love;
in honour preferring one another"
Romans 12:10
11. To be aware of God’s love for them
"... Yea, I have loved thee
with an everlasting love:
therefore with lovingkindness
have I drawn thee." ~ Jeremiah 31:3
"But God, who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved us"
~ Ephesians 2:4
12. Family concerns
"Casting all your care upon him;
for he careth for you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7
"Cast thy burden upon the LORD,
and he shall sustain thee:
he shall never suffer
the righteous to be moved." ~ Psalm 55:22
13. Rest
"Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls."
~ Matthew 11:28-29
14. Adjust to time change, sleep
"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep:
for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."
~ Psalm 4:8
"When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:
yea, thou shalt lie down,
and thy sleep shall be sweet." ~ Proverbs 3:24
15. Unity in purpose
"Finally, be ye all of one mind,
having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous"
~ 1 Peter 3:8
"Now the God of patience and consolation
grant you to be likeminded
one toward another according to Christ Jesus"
~ Romans 15:5
16. Loneliness
"And I will walk among you,
and will be your God, and ye shall be my people."
~ Leviticus 26:12
"...and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen."
~ Matthew 28:20
17. Children of military
"And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD;
and great shall be the peace of thy children."
~ Isaiah 54:13
"A father of the fatherless,
and a judge of the widows,
is God in his holy habitation."
~ Psalm 68:5
18. Spouses of military
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd:
he shall gather the lambs with his arm,
and carry them in his bosom,
and shall gently lead those that are with young."
~ Isaiah 40:11
19. Patience while waiting
"Our soul waiteth for the LORD:
he is our help and our shield."
~ Psalm 33:20
"My soul, wait thou only upon God;
for my expectation is from him."
~ Psalm 62:5
20. God directing their steps
"I will instruct thee and teach thee
in the way which thou shalt go:
I will guide thee with mine eye."
~ Psalm 32:8
"And when he putteth forth his own sheep,
he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him:
for they know his voice." ~ John 10:4
21. Diligent in their work
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily,
as to the Lord, and not unto men"
~ Colossians 3:23
"Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers;
but as the servants of Christ,
doing the will of God from the heart;
With good will doing service,
as to the Lord, and not to men"
~ Ephesians 6:6
22. Resist temptation
"There hath no temptation taken you
but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you
to be tempted above that ye are able;
but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it."
~ 1 Corinthians 10:13
23. Discernment
"And this I pray,
that your love may abound
yet more and more
in knowledge and in all judgment"
~ Philippians 1:9
"But strong meat belongeth to them
that are of full age,
even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil."
~ Hebrews 5:14
24. Traveling safety
"The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:
he shall preserve thy soul.
The LORD shall preserve thy going out
and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for evermore."
~ Psalm 121:7-8
25. Fighting Depression
"Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted in me?
hope thou in God:
for I shall yet praise him
for the help of his countenance."
~ Psalm 42:5
"The LORD is my portion, saith my soul;
therefore will I hope in him."
~ Lamentations 3:24
26. Protection from Evil
"But the Lord is faithful,
who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil."
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:3
"The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive;
and he shall be blessed upon the earth:
and thou wilt not deliver him
unto the will of his enemies."
~ Psalm 41:2
27. Encourage those around them
"The liberal soul shall be made fat:
and he that watereth shall be watered also himself."
~ Proverbs 11:25
"Wherefore comfort yourselves together,
and edify one another, even as also ye do."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11
28. Personal prayer life
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee,
and shew thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not." ~ Jeremiah 33:3
"Evening, and morning, and at noon,
will I pray, and cry aloud:
and he shall hear my voice." ~ Psalm 55:17
29. Deliverance from the enemy
"My times are in thy hand:
deliver me from the hand of mine enemies,
and from them that persecute me."
~ Psalm 31:15
"Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler,
and from the noisome pestilence."
~ Psalm 91:3
30. Angels to guard them
"The angel of the LORD encampeth
round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them." ~ Psalm 34:7
31. Persistence for the task
"And let us not be weary in well doing:
for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not." ~ Galatians 6:9
"But ye, brethren,
be not weary in well doing."
~ 2 Thessalonians 3:13
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."~ James 516b
We spent much of our morning
cleaning, vacuuming, doing laundry, etc...
It was work but we had fun with it. ;o)
This afternoon, Ally worked on her
Worldview and Advanced Chemistry,
as well as practicing violin
(which she is loving!).
Will and I were able to get some
'official' learning moments in, as well.
We were able to finally finish our book,
D'Aulaire's Benjamin Franklin,
had some discussions about
The Declaration of Independence,
the Constitution, Benjamin's inventions,
taxation without representation,
and a few other things regarding Benjamin,
his life and character.
I was delighted to hear Will explain many things
to me that he had read in other books.
What a blessing to see how he was
able to recall the information he had read. ;o)
He, also, read another book about
Benjamin Franklin on his own
and we did the first couple of lessons of Language Arts.
We did picture study, narration, and copywork.
The lil' girls enjoyed a day of games, creative play,
and having fun in their newly rearranged bedroom. ;o)
We look forward to being in the Lord's house this evening.
Before I go to enjoy the afternoon,
I just wanted to share something from this morning.
It was bittersweet but it blessed my heart.
Beth, for the past couple of days, has discovered
that with turning another year older
(a total of 5 whole years),
she is now old enough to do her own hair.
She has been found, often, in the bathroom,
on the stool, standing in front of the mirror,
working on pulling her hair back
and putting it in a clip.
She was mighty proud of her new accomplishment,
as was I... though, as I mentioned,
it was a bittersweet blessing as I see this little girl
grow up right before my eyes.
Here she was showing me this morning...
Thank you, Lord, for the time we havewith the precious children you've entrusted us with."Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."~ Psalm 127:3
I have seen this in a few placesand thought it would be fun to participate.Life in a Shoe is having a Vision Forum Drawing.The prize is $150 of free stuff from Vision Forum.Here are the guidelines from her post:1. Get your new catalog - if you’re not on the mailing list, get on it now. No time to get it? Download the new 2008 Vision Forum catalog as a PDF here. 2. Flip through the pages, oohing and aahingover all the wonderful items, new and old. Note which ones are published by Vision Forum - you’ll see a VF logo near the title of the item. Try not to drool on it; you’ll be needing your catalog for the next step. 3. Now the fun part: Put together your own dream order of $150 or less of VF published items and post it to your blog with a link to Vision Forum and a link to her post.4.Leave her a comment so I’ll know you entered. One entry per household, please. She's accepting entries until Friday, October 26.This was fun to do, especially since I just receivedtwo copies of their recent catalog in the mail.Here's my list:10 Peas in a Pod by Arnold Pent III ~ $20.00Home-Making by J.R. Miller ~ $20.00The Influence of Older Childrenon Younger Children cd by S.M. Davis ~ $10.00The Bible Lessons of John Quincy Adamsfor His Son by Doug W. Phillips ~ $12.00Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jacksonto His Wife by William Potter ~ $15.00Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford ~ $24.00The Adventure of Missionary Heroismby John C. Lambert and Joshua M. Wean ~ $24.00Pouch of Ancient Coins ~ $18.00Thanksgiving Primer ~ $6.00Total = $149.00
I hope y'all had a blessed weekend...
we sure did.
Saturday evening we had a baby shower
for a young lady at church.
Baby showers are such fun.
What a blessing it is to celebrate
the arrival of a precious little one!
We had a blessed Lord's Day, as well.
Pastor has been having a theme this month
that he has called "October-Blest".
Each Sunday is focused on a different blessing.
Yesterday morning was the blessing of church.
What a blessing it is, too!
(By the way, in case y'all are unaware
October is Pastor Appreciation Month...
be sure to let your pastor know
that you appreciate all that he does.
Don't forget about his wife, too.)
Yesterday evening, as we were leaving
to head to the evening service
we witnessed a beautiful sunset sky...
It was breathtaking!
In the evening service, we had an individual
that accepted Christ as his Saviour! Praise the Lord!
There's a new name written down in Glory! ;o)
Today was, mostly, a work day for us.
After quiet time, I chiseled away at Mount Washmore,
cleaned up in the kitchen, caught up on a few phone calls,
took the bunk beds apart and rearranged
the girls' bedroom (phew), bathed the children and more.
Before heading to her room for some school work
and her violin practice/lessons,
Ally took advantage of the quietness
of the younger ones playing outside
and played the piano...
(those are new 'Oreo' pajamas she made over the weekend...
out of old bedsheets)
The younger ones were outside, playing in the birdbath
(I filled it with fresh water)...
Ally worked on Worldview and Violin most of the day.
Will enjoyed reading, reading, and more reading,
as well as creative play.
Here he was reading "Little House on the Prairie"
(for the second time in one week)...
He enjoys telling me all about what he's read
(which, of course, counts as narration).
The lil' girls enjoyed putting on a little puppet show
(among other things)...
They had put the puppet stand together and all. ;o)Quite an accomplishment for these two girls. I enjoyed watching their presentationand listening to them sing "Jesus Loves Me". ;o)Tomorrow will be an errand-running day. I hope to respond to comments soon. ;o)I hope y'all enjoy your week!(a portion of Scripture from my quiet time today)"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Jesus, I am resting, resting
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.
(Chorus)
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art;
And Thy love, so pure, so changless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its ev'ry need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!
(Chorus)
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Ever lift Thy face upon me,
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth's dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father's glory,
Sunshine of my Father's face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.
(Chorus)
Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
words: Edwin Young; music: Harry E. Storrs
from Soul Stirring Songs and Hymns
Click below to hear the midi:
(You can stop this blog's background music
by clicking the pause button in the sidebar) "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls."~ Matthew 11:29
On Wednesday, the day after
our visit to the Renaissance Festival,
we packed up the van
and headed to a local museum.
This museum has a special meaning to us
because it displays a home (and more)
that our ancestor built in the 1700's.
We were excited to visit and learn more.
Here were the children in front of a model
of the home that he had built...
Will and Ally enjoyed learning more about
him, his family, and his homestead...
Beth and Carolynne enjoyed learning, too...
While in the museum, we, also, visited another area
that focused on the next century.
Ally and Will found a couple of things they liked...
Then we headed upstairs to their hands-on toy display.
There was much to enjoy...
Then we headed outside to see the rock house.
First we saw the American Freedom Bell...
As we walked down the path,
we saw a statue of our ancestor
and were able to get our picture taken together with him...
Here were the children sitting on the bridge railing...
Walking to the rock house...
The rock house...
The children on the steps of the rock house
built by our ancestor (what a special moment!)...
We, also, enjoyed walking the path learning about the different plants.We decided not to go on the guided tour inside the house.But we do hope to do that with Daddy one day. ;o)... That was our vacation, in a nutshell.We had a lovely time and, now, look forward to more relaxing days, Lord willing. ;o)Hope y'all enjoy your weekend!
{title translated: adventurous vacation utterances
simplified: all about our fun vacation} ;o)
What a busy week we've had!
But we've enjoyed every bit of it.
The children and I arose Monday morning
and 'hit the road' around 6am.
Quite a few hours later, we arrived at our destination.
We checked into our hotel, unpacked,
and headed out to visit our aunt.
On the way, however,
the children were excited to stop by
the Lowe's Motor Speedway.
This is a 'sport' that our children
have found a bit interesting
(courtesy of a few "passionate" friends)
so they were excited to see the speedway
and since we were right there
I decided to give it a try.
It was all locked up but a friendly security guard
opened the gate for us and let us in.
The children were fascinated to see
a few of the race cars practicing...
We watched for a little bit, thanked the security guard,
and left to visit with our aunt and family.
We had a lovely time of fellowship!
The next morning, we arose early
to head to an exciting destination...
the Carolina Renaissance Festival...
We were, first, greeted by a lady playing the bagpipes...
Before the gates opened, "the Queen" made a public welcome
and a shot from the cannon was fired.
Then we entered the gates, into the village...
There were many shops to visit, games to play,
rides to enjoy, music to hear, performances to see, food to smell, animals to pet, things to learn, etc...
We enjoyed it all very much.
Here were some photos from our day...
...Watching a performance...
Afterwards...
Trying to climb...
Leonardo da Vinci's flying machine...
Enjoying the celtic harp...
Listening to the knight...
Posing for a picture...
Preparing for a joust game...
I'll just take the ride, thank you...
!VERY excited to meet our online friends...
the boys...
Ally and Brittany
Enjoying the "real" joust...
Hand-to-hand combat...
Learning archery...
Riding the giant rocking horse...
Not quite their knight-in-shining-armor...
It was such an enjoyable time!Afterwards, we enjoyed much timeof food and fellowship with our wonderful friends!On Wednesday, we visited our ancestor museumand hope to share a few photos of that soon.Until then, I thought I'd share a sign that we saw at the Renaissance Festivaland it cracked us up...
LOL
