Outside my window... the sky is a clear, bright blue
I am thinking... that the extra sleep this morning was a wonderful blessing
Iam thankful for... Jesus Christ saving a wretch like me, for His forgiveness and lovingkindness
From the learning rooms... continue with our Proverbs study, begin our reading in Exodus for history, begin our study of Israel, and other miscellaneous seatwork
From the kitchen... dishes from the weekend wait to be washed, the kitchen needs a good blessing {cleaning} On the menu... M ~ Wet burritos T ~ Chicken and green bean packets W ~ Lasagna Th ~ Stir fry and brown rice F ~ Sourdough Pizza
I am wearing... round neck dress with purple and white floral pattern
I am creating... the finishing touches on my white regency dress and pelisse (need to hem), new square neck dress for myself and one for my sister
I am reading... Numbers, Psalms, and Luke {KJB}; Passionate Housewives Desperate for God (almost done); God's Ideal Woman
I am hoping (praying)... for family and friends with spiritual needs; revival in my heart, in my family, in our church, and in our country
I am hearing... the children playing games at the table
Around the house... a house blessing (cleaning) is needed
One of my favorite things... singing praises to my Wonderful Lord
A few plans for the rest of the week... trip to the commissary, visit with friends, sew as I am able, attend our midweek service, go to our homeschool group's park day, spend the week enjoying the children and learning right along with them
Here is picture thought I am sharing... "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" ~ Titus 2:13
Oh, how I look forward to Christ's return!! As the song says, What a day that will be When my Jesus I shall see, When I look upon His face, The One Who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand and leads me through the Promised Land, What a day, glorious day that will be!
"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." ~ Revelation 22:20
Another week has seemed to breeze by. We didn't, perhaps, get all accomplished as I would have liked but rather than focus on what we didn't do, I rather praise God for what we were able to do. I had a few moments this morning and just wanted to share a few snapshots of our week at our haven at home...
Sunday morning, Will played his first offertory in his Sunday school class... He chose "No Not One"... There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! no, not one! None else could heal all our soul's diseases, No, not one! no, not one! Jesus knows all about our struggles, He will guide till the day is done; There's not a friend like the lowly Jesus, No, not one! no, not one!
It was a blessing to hear him play for the Lord and I'm so glad we have a Friend like Jesus.
The rest of our week was fairly casual, with learning time here and there, running errands, keeping our home, and just enjoying our time together...
Coloring early in the morning...
Piano lessons with sister...
Gleaning wisdom from God's Word...
Practicing keeper at home skills and blessing the family...
Painting an Ancient Egypt craft... Serpent-headed throwing sticks... used in Ancient Egypt to kill birds but we won't be using them for that purpose. ;o)
Suzie enjoying a toy... LOL
Also this week, we ordered Ally's graduation cap and gown, which was a bittersweet event. It's sometimes hard to believe how fast they grow!
Today we look forward to spending the day with friends. I hope to finish sewing a prairie pinafore for my nieces and, perhaps, work on the regency dress. We, also, look forward to making a few homeschool plans while enjoying the fellowship of friends. I hope y'all have enjoyed your week, as well, and have a wonderful weekend.
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." ~ 2 Corinthians 9:15
Outside my window... the sky is growing bright blue and there is a still coolness
I am thinking... how different it is to wake up and not have coffee
Iam thankful for... God's perfect, Holy, inspired, preserved Word and for His Holy Spirit
From the learning rooms... continue with our Proverbs study, learning about Ancient Egypt and India, and other miscellaneous seatwork
From the kitchen... dishes from the weekend wait to be washed On the menu... M ~ Taco Rice Tacos T ~ Lasagna W ~ Green bean casserole bake Th ~ Stir fry F ~ Sourdough Pizza
I am wearing... white and floral print square neck dress
I am creating... continuing white regency dress when I have time and finishing another prairie pinafore for my nieces
I am reading... Numbers, Psalms, and Luke {KJB}; Passionate Housewives Desperate for God; God's Ideal Woman
I am hoping (praying)... the Lord will give me victory in giving up coffee; for family and friends with spiritual needs; revival in my heart, in my family, in our church, and in our country
I am hearing... the heater blowing, the monitor humming, and Beth spinning on a stool at the table
Around the house... everyone else is asleep and a house blessing (cleaning) is needed
One of my favorite things... being in God's house whenever the doors are open
A few plans for the rest of the week... go to piano lessons that Ally teaches, attend our midweek service at church, focus on some learning and some sewing, and have a little fellowshipping with friends.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
"Create in my a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." ~ Psalm 51:10
It's been a filled week for us and I look forward to spending the weekend with my beloved and our children. I had a few moments and wanted to share just a few highlights from our week...
A sight that I just LOVE to see...
Gathered around learning and studying God's Word together.
Earlier this week, Daddy was able have lunch out with us. It was a special time...
Enjoying dessert together
Discussing with Daddy the giant burger 'contest' they were having at the restaurant. Daddy said he'd have to pass on that one. ;o)
Later in the week, the lil' girls enjoyed a game of hide-n-seek with Daddy...
Beth found behind a rocking chair, in front of a bookshelf.
Carolynne found on a chair,under a pile of coats. I guess it's a good thing no one had, yet, put the coats away. lol
Ally worked on a difficult composition this week... Chopin's Revolutionary. What a piece to play! She's been working on it for quite some time and hopes to one day master it.
Yesterday, we enjoyed getting out-of-doors during our homeschool group park day...
Carolynne enjoyed the slide
Beth enjoyed climbing. She enjoyed climbing so much that later she and Carolynne were found climbing a tree with a couple of friends!
It was quite a sight!
Will, too, enjoyed climbing... Ally enjoyed the fresh air and worked on her crochet project while fellowshipping with some of the mamas...
And even Suzie enjoyed her day at the park...
I hope y'all had a wonderful week. Enjoy your weekend and have a blessed, Christ-centered Lord's Day!
"He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD." ~ Psalm 33:5
* I was asked recently about our sourdough recipe. I posted it long ago in a post about our Friday tradition and thought I would repost it... * {{originally posted September 21, 2007}}
I was asked, in an email, about our pizza nights... Every Friday our family looks forward to a sourdough pizza night, Lord willing. Some nights we have guests and others we do not. Either way, we love sourdough pizza, particularly on Fridays. My beloved always says (smiling, but serious), "Nobody messes with my pizza night." ;o) Though he is currently in Iraq {2007}, the children and I still hold the family tradition. ;o)
Mama or Ally usually make the pizzas but there have been many times the lil' ones help, the older ones help, their friends have helped, and Daddy enjoys helping, too. ;o)
Some of the different toppings ideas are:
Cheesy (and with a variety of cheeses) Pepperoni Stuffed Crust Bacon and Bell Peppers Ham and Pineapple Buffalo Chicken & Pepper Jack Cheese Spicy Pizza Taco Pizza Chili Pizza The Pig (pepperoni, ham, bacon) Veggie Pizza Fried Squash Philly Cheese Steak
We always enjoy eating the leftovers throughout the weekend and upcoming week. Mmmmm!
The recipe we have used for our sourdough starter can be seen by clicking below... Sourdough Recipe
It sounds a little complicated, at first, but it is well worth it. It is not like the typical sourdough that you would find in a bakery. It's sweeter and oh so delicious! If you give it a try, I'd love to hear about it. ;o)
"O taste and see that the LORD {YHWH} is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." ~ Psalm 34:8
It is such a blessing, privilege, and responsibility to be at home all day with our children, teaching, training, living, and applying God's Word as we all live, learn and grow together. And just when I feel discouragement creeping in, the Lord, in His goodness and lovingkindness, allows me to see glimpses of how He is working, encouraging me to not grow weary and to press on.
He used our son's post to do that last night, as he shared his heart and I just wanted to share, giving Him all thanks, praise and the glory! From Our Son's Heart
"And God, which knoweth the hearts..." ~ Acts 15:8
"Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men?" ~ Proverbs 15:11
The Lord is Faithful to bring back to mind those things that He had once revealed to me and taught me before. The Faithful reminder has come along, again, as thoughts of raising our children for Christ have been consuming my mind. The Lord brought to mind recently something I wrote a few years ago and I went back and re-read it this weekend. It was a blessing to me and I wanted to share it, again.
Are We Raising Daniels? {{Repost... originally written Sunday, April 2, 2006}} This morning in our Bible lesson, we read about the captivity of Judah to the Babylonians. We discussed why they weretaken into captivity, what it must have been like, etc... We mostly focused on Daniel (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abed-nego).
I know that I have heard this story a numerous amount of times, but the Lord has a wonderful way of reminding us and teaching us simple, yet profound truths when we are in His Word... whether we've read it hundreds of times or if we've read it for the first time...
All through our lesson, there were thoughts going through my mind....
~ Daniel and his friends were taken from their homes, their families, their familiar surroundings... all that they knew..... as CHILDREN!
~ Daniel and his friends had great courage to stand up for righteousness in the midst of an unrighteous world.
~ Daniel and his friends withstood the strong, ungodly influence that surrounded them as children, young men, and as adults.
These facts fascinated me...
How they were ripped from their homes and godly teachings as children, yet, even as children, were SO convicted and convinced that they were willing to do what they knew was right, without heeding to the persuassion and influence of, probably, everyone else they knew.
And as they grew, they remained unfalteringly faithful to the One, True God.... without shame... without question... without hesitance.
They lived in the ungodly culture and influence of the Babylonians and, yet, they remained untainted by the wickedness they lived in.
Those truths got me thinking... To have such strong, bold, and unapolegetic virtue and moral courage.... as CHILDREN and then as men... Where did they learn that from? Where were they taught it? Their parents?? Then the Lord laid some questions on my heart....
Am I doing all I can to truly teach and train my children in HIS ways, to serve and love HIM with all their heart, body, soul, and mind?
If they were somehow taken from me as young children, would they have what is needed to stay faithful to the One, True God, despite strong opposition and influence?
If they are never taken, and simply remain in my care... will they still have the moral courage to take a stand in and for righteousness in an unrighteous and wicked world?
Am I faithfully praying that what I am teaching them will surpass head knowledge and that the LORD will teach them, using His Word to change their hearts?
Am I doing ALL I can?
Am I consistently FAITHFUL in doing what I can?
Am I raising more Daniels for HIM? Gulp..... It's a scary, yet blessed thing when the Lord puts me in a place of self-examination and re-evaluation. When I am brought face to face with the comparisson of what I HAVE been doing, AM doing, SHOULD be doing and CAN be doing.
I praise the Lord that He speaks to me in a still, small voice through His Holy Word. It is my constant prayer that I will always have a teachable spirit and humble heart. And I pray that He will enable me to do all I CAN do in the raising, training, and discipling of my precious, precious children that He has entrusted me with. I pray that I will raise more 'Daniels' for HIM and that my children will grow to be...
"... like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." ~ Psalm 1:3 and "... be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." ~ Jeremiah 17:8 And "That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude of a palace:" ~ Psalm 144:12 May I be... "... stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord..." knowing "...that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58
Iam thankful for... a Bible believing, teaching, and practicing New Testament church
From the learning rooms... continuing our study of India, continuing our study of Ancient Egypt, and all other miscellaneous seatwork
From the kitchen... tidying up is needed from the weekend. On the menu... M ~ Baked Taco Rice Wraps T ~ Chicken Alfredo W ~ Sliced potato, ground turkey, rice & veggie bake Th ~ Chicken and green bean packets F ~ Sourdough Pizza
I am wearing... tan regency gown
I am creating... white regency dress and, hopefully, a little gift for my niece's bday
I am reading... Numbers, Psalms, and Luke {KJB}; Passionate Housewives Desperate for God
I am hoping (praying)... for family and friends with spiritual needs; revival in my heart, in my family, in our church, and in our country
I am hearing... the younger children coloring in the reading room
Around the house... all is well, though a little tidying is needed
One of my favorite things... singing praises to my Wonderful Lord
A few plans for the rest of the week... doctor appointment on Wednesday, midweek service at church, homeschool park day, and spend time focusing on learning with the children
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~ Romans 8:38-39
I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus Since I found in Him a Friend so strong and true; I would tell you how He changed my life completely - He did something that no other friend could do.
No one ever cared for me like Jesus, There's no other friend so kind as He; No one else could take the sin and darkness from me - O how much He cared for me.
All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me, All my heart was full of misery and woe; Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me, And He led me in the way I ought to go.
No one ever cared for me like Jesus, There's no other friend so kind as He; No one else could take the sin and darkness from me - O how much He cared for me.
Every day He comes to me with new assurance, More and more I understand His words of love; But I'll never know just why He came to save me, Till some day I see His blessed face above.
No one ever cared for me like Jesus, There's no other friend so kind as He; No one else could take the sin and darkness from me - O how much He cared for me.
words and music: Charles F. Weigle (1871-1966) Click here to hear a piano sample
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you." ~ 1 Peter 5:7
It's been another active week here in our haven. Today will be a little less busy and I had a few moments to share some snapshots from our week.
We've had some beautiful weather this week. I just love open windows and curtains blowing in the breeze! And I love to see our children enjoying the great outdoors...
It was a blessing to, later, hear them singing aloud, "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Love the Little Children", as they were jumping outdoors. They look at it as an opportunity to share the Gospel with all of our neighbors. *Ü*
There have been signs of spring all around us. Spring blossoms are such a beautiful sight...
One way we used the beautiful weather was to clean, vacuum, and wash the van! The new local carwash was, somehow, quite thrilling to everyone...
Lots of colors in the carwash confetti!
Also, this week, we have been able to spend some time learning together, though it's been even more relaxed... Our King James Bible Conference has been this week which tends to result in later nights (and mornings) but we have enjoyed the laid-back learning together.
Here is a sample of one of the Proverbs we illustrated during our Bible time together... It was a blessing (and humble reminder) to discuss the difference between beauty on the outside and true beauty on the inside.
We look forward to spending most of our day at home, cleaning, playing, learning, living... and we may even squeeze in a trip to the commisary. ;o)
I hope y'all have been enjoying your week, as well!
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." ~ Psalm 68:19
Outside my window... the sky is bright blue and birds are feasting in our back yard
Iam thinking... of what I will do today
Iam thankful for... a church home with a sweet spirit, where God's Truths are preached and practiced in love
From the learning rooms... continuing our Proverbs study and our study of Ancient Egypt, beginning our geographical/missions study on India, and continuing with miscellaneous seatwork
From the kitchen... the sink holds dishes from the weekend, awaiting washing. On the menu: M ~ taco rice tacos ;o) T ~ spaghetti W ~ creamy wild rice soup & cornbread Th ~chicken stuffing casserole F ~ Sourdough Pizza
Iam wearing... cream & mauve floral print square neck dress
Iam creating... a white regency dress {still working on it}
Iam reading... Leviticus, Psalms, Mark {KJB}; Passionate Housewives Desperate for God
I am hoping (praying)... for family and friends with spiritual needs; for those that need to sell homes; my husband to have wisdom regarding our next move; for the Lord to help me be more soul conscious; for our KJ Bible Conference this week
Iam hearing... booms from drills being made on base and gentle sounds from the monitors as all the children are still sleeping
Around the house... a blessing (cleaning) is needed after a busy weekend
One of my favorite things... having deep, spiritual and uplifting conversations with like-minded sisters-in-Christ
Afew plans for the rest of the week... tidy up, focus on our learning times, attend our KJ Bible Conference this week, go to piano lessons that our eldest teaches, enjoy time with my beloved and our children
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
"...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." ~ Matthew 4:4
May we see the vital importance of being in God's Word and purpose in our hearts to feed from It daily.
