We're working a new schedule today. I'm trying to get Little Miss Darlin to realize that we sleep at night and stay awake during the day. She seems a bit confued on the matter. Plus we're trying to jump back into school, which is difficult with a screaming baby who is supposed to be asleep but is so tired that she can't fall asleep on her own. I need more hands.
I want to thank all of my fellow bloggers who left a comment wishing me all the happiness in my 15th year of life. And my dear cousin who left me an entire post expressing her celebration! Thank you dear one!
I will try to tell what happened for my birthday...it was very small with only my parents, and my closefamily.
We had a small campfire where we roasted hot dogs, and all sorts of campfire goodies. Then for dessert we had delicious pumpkin pie...which I have had on all of my birthdays instead of cake...I like pumpkin pie a lot better!
Then we opened presents before it got too dark...and I received (which I already knew about and watched her order it) a drawing book with loads of good tips, Drawing the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm. However, I did have to mark off all of the obscene drawings...hint 'drawing the head and figure'
And sometime this week, another thing my parents ordered for me was the movie North and South by BBC drama! I absolutely adore this movie...very heartbreaking and tragic. I think I almost enjoy the music to the movie more than the movie itself.
And the most surprising item occured on my birthday list! I had the honour to meet the four oldest sisters of the Farmgirls. We had been chatting, and decided to meet at a small reenactment going on at an easy distance for the both of us, so we planned and became acquainted. I had truly an exciting time...and my cousins even decided to meet them with me.
From left to right...Emily Rose, myself, Breezy, Cassia, Susannah, Leah, and Jessica
They were all so sweet, that we ended up walking and touring with them for almost six hours...but it was worth every minute. I count meeting them as a belated birthday gift! :)
This meme is hosted by The Simple Woman - Visit her blog to participate!
FOR TODAY, Monday, October 13th...
Outside My Window... it is just growing light. The fog that mutes and softens everything is just beginning to lift.
From the Learning Rooms... I have quite a bit of grading to catch up on today.
I am thinking... about how I can manage a birthday party for my oldest DS, who turns 16 tomorrow.
I am thankful for... all the blessings in my life. Today is Thanksgiving in Canada (where I'm from) so we will be celebrating this evening.
From the kitchen... tonight we will have roast chicken (I didn't have a turkey in the freezer) and all the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Tomorrow may be a birthday dinner.
I am wearing... red knit capris, white sweatshirt with the Toronto Blue Jays logo on the front.
I am creating... the MOMS Club newsletter and posters.
I am going... to do some cleaning today, and probably run to the grocery store.
I am reading... Crown of Fire by Craig & Janet Parshall, The Shipwreck that Saved Jamestown by Lorri Glover and Daniel Blake Smith, and Dracula by Bram Stoker. Working on the read-aloud The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis. But I've kind of taken a break from all my reading the past week.
I am hoping... to get some satisfactory answers to questions I have about some issues related to church.
I am hearing... neighbors driving off to work.
Around the house... cooking and baking, possibly reorganizing some things in my kitchen.
One of my favorite things... my bed. I didn't sleep well last night, so hopefully I'll get a chance to nap later today.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: birthday celebrations for my oldest two sons (Harrison will be 16 tomorrow, Spencer will be 14 on Wednesday), the usual choir and youth activities. On Friday I am taking the kids to a homeschool day at Historic St Mary's City.
Christa Parrish graduated high school at 16, with every intention of becoming a surgeon. After college, however, her love of all things creative led her in another direction, and she worked in both theatre and journalism.
A winner of Associated Press awards for her reporting, Christa gave up her career after the birth of her son, Jacob. She continued to write from home, doing pro bono work for the New York Family Policy Council, where her articles appeared in Focus on the Family’s Citizen magazine. She was also a finalist in World magazine’s WORLDview short story contest, sponsored by WestBow press. She now teaches literature and writing to high school students, is a homeschool mom, and lives with her family in upstate New York, where she is at work on her second novel.
ABOUT THE BOOK
After her mother’s death and her father’s abandonment, tiny infant Sarah Graham was left to be raised by her emotionally distant grandmother. As a child she turned to music for solace and even gained entrance to Juilliard. But her potentially brilliant music career ended with an unplanned pregnancy and the stillborn birth of her child.
In an attempt to escape the past, Sarah, now twenty-seven, is living life hard and fast–and she is flat broke. When her estranged father dies, she travels to the tiny mountain hamlet of Jonah, New York to claim her inheritance. Once there, she learns her father’s will stipulates a six-month stay before she can recieve the money. Fueled by hate and desperation, Sarah settles in for the bitter mountain winter, and as the weeks pass, she finds her life intertwining with the lives of the simple, gracious townsfolk. Can these strangers teach Sarah how to forgive and find peace?
A story of grace, of God’s never-ceasing love and the sometimes flawed, faithful people He uses to bring His purpose to pass.
I find that magic is a touchy subject with Christians. I am not sure why, though, as the Bible is so very clear on it. I took a poll a few weeks ago posing the question “Is it alright for a Christian to involve themselves (in any form) with magic?” and the results were nearly as they should’ve been. There where 33 voters that said no and 4 that said yes. I took another poll asking “Based on previous poll, is it fair to say Christians should NOT read books containing any magic?” and the results were QUITE different, though I expected it…. over 200 people said it was NOT fair to say that Christians should not read books containing magic, and only a piddly amount said that yes that was a fair statement.
It seems that there are certain areas, whether because we grew up with them or because they are just personal, of our lives that Christians reason out with our faith and refuse to see in any other way because it might comprise their comfort (read more on “Christian standards“). Many of you have read my stance on allegorical literature to the Bible using magic and witchcraft. I was quite disgusted when I realized I was involving myself with something that is of Satan to represent a Holy God.
As long as I’ve been alive magic has been put in a fun and playful way. You see that the majority of the Disney films have some kind of witchcraft or magic in them. However, if you type in the word magic in the Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary you will find that magic is something very scary and can lead down all sorts of paths. Magic an art of interacting with spirits, evil spirits, departed spirits, sorcery, and, enchantment. Magic is a tool Satan has used for thousands of years to deceive God’s most precious creation, Man, with since the time of Nimrod (early BC), and now, in the 21 century, he is using it more cunningly to “teach the Word of God in a way people will be interested in”.
I wonder how God feels. I wonder how He feels knowing something that He hates so much and is such an abomination to Him is being used to represent him.
I know how is feels. His Word tells me. His words says God hates sin. He hates it so much he had to turn His head when His beloved Son died on a cross with the World’s sin on his shoulders. It will not be allowed in His kingdom.
Magic is a sin. The Bible says so, and I wonder if it causes Him to turn his head knowing his children are accepting it in such ways. To what extent is involving yourselves with magic, and who is make that judgment? You? Or God?
Exodus 22:18 “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”
Does a witch (or anyone else who practices magic) live, good or bad, in the books you read? How close to the line are you really? Mother Dear wrote awhile back about Forbidden Love: What Lines Does Our Faith Not Cross? What about the lines your faith won’t cross? My faith was crossing lines for sometime and something had to go…. God’s commands or my desires. What about you?
I have heard that “good guys” using magic is like that of the miracles in the Bible that the apostles preformed, but while people are trying to reason this out they don’t realize that 1) magic is of Satan, no exceptions, and an abomination to the Lord. 2) The apostles were filled with the power of God and were given authority to perform such the miracles. It doesn’t matter that people thought they were gods. That is irrelevant. We can not compare these two to one another. They are not equal. One is of God. One is of Satan.
I know what the Bible says about witchcraft and magic. It says they are abominations to the Lord and He will drive them out. Saul died because he consulted a Medium (a witch) and had the crown past on from their family’s name. He were also unfaithful to the Lord in his ways. What is the difference between consulting a witch and reading, for pleasure, about witches and magic? God hates all types of magic. It doesn’t say God only hates magic if you personally do it. He just says He hates it so therefore we must assume that it means ALL, to every extent. If there was a chance that it alright to, as a Christian, read about such abominations, how can it be edifying in your life? I wrote more on edifying here: Think Pink - Edify.
Deuteronomy 18: 9-13
9When thou [God's people] art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
11Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
13Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Please if the Bible says differently some place else do show me give me a verse. I have said quite a few times this past week if you don’t have the Bible to back you up %100 than what are you doing? To every single thing you believe you should have some kind of Biblical-foundation for it. If it’s not of God, then it’s of Man, and man’s way are not righteous. Man’s ways lead to death. If you don’t have a verse to give me, then please, don’t comment in disagreement.
Instead just take a minute to step out of what you’ve grown up with, what you are comfortable with, and what you have reasoned out with your faith, and simply consider what I am saying as a friend who loves you and is truly someone who is seeking after God. If you know me personally you know I am not a judgmental person or someone who seeks to put themselves above anyone. I am just trying to strengthen the Body and offer myself as a living sacrifice to Him.
Saturday morning my dad and I made a three hour trip down to Lexington,Kentucky for the day. My Uncle Charlie is down at St. Joseph's East hospital with some major problems. Evidently, he was admitted Tuesday for water on his heart. Honestly, I dont know exactly how that occurs, but I'll leave that to the doctors. Anywhooo...they pumped about 7 liters off of it from Tuesday through Saturday morning. They were still pumping when I arrived noon on Saturday. He is also having some sort of kidney and lung problems as well since they have him seeing both a nephrologist and a pulmonologist. I have no idea what for.
When I arrived, my uncle was strikingly different from when I last saw him in 2005, when he came to my parents' place to stay for a few days. He was much thinner and very frail looking. His skin looked yellowish, but I still don't know if it was just the lighting or if he was truly jaundiced. Could be the jaundice as they were evidently concerned about his kidneys. Despite all the physical changes that he'd undergone since I'd last seen him, my uncle's hair was still mostly red. He had a bit more white mixed in, but his beard and hair were the majority red. It was surprising, yet pleasant to know that some things don't change despite his age.
He was hardly conscious the whole time I was there. He'd wake up every once in a while and look around...sometimes mumbling something that only my dad or cousin could make out (as I am not as aquainted with the southeastern KY accent anymore). Then, he'd slip back into unconsciousness as quickly as he had come out of it. It went on like that for most of the afternoon. His breathing was labored, but his heart rate stayed relatively level.
My dad, cousin, aunt & uncle and I all talked some. Noone seemed to know anything substansive about his condition. If they get all the fluid off of his heart, he will be able to go home. However, the fluid will just keep building up. He has congestive heart failure and I assume this is part of that condition. They mentioned that he is too old for a heart transplant list. The prospect of a pace maker was mentioned also, to strengthen his heart's pumping capacity, but his heart is in too poor condition to receive one now. So, it's basically a wait and see kind of thing. My father, uncle & cousin think that he won't make it much longer. Me...I plan on just praying and waiting. What more can I do?
When it was time to leave, my uncle had gained consciousness again. He was a little more awake than he had been all day, which was nice. Possibly a good sign that the pumping was helping him. When dad & I were ready to leave, I gave my uncle a hug and told him how much I loved him. Also, that I was sorry that I was unable to bring the girls to see him, as we had made the trip in my dad's pickup truck. I promised to come see him again as soon as I was able and that I'd bring the girls if I could as well. In the meantime, I told him I'd send our recent pic of them. He gave me his usual perky smile, which he hadn't given all day, and said okay and that he loved me too. I miss him already. Please pray for him and that his treatment works and gives him a little more time with us.
I like making lists. It doesn't mean I always remember to look at the lists or accomplish all that is on the lists :). Anyway, lists are a helpful reminder. I was thinking I should jot down a "To Do" list assigned by the Master to remind myself. There are so many but here are some of the biggies (in my opinion).
- Love the Lord my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind (Matthew 22:37)
- Love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:39)
- Worship the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6-7)
- Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded me (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Study and memorize God's Word (Psalm 119:11, 105)
- Obey all of the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:3-17)
- Fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness (Joshua 24:14a, I Chronicles 28:9)
- Remain in Jesus and bear fruit (John 15:4-5, Galatians 5:22-23)
- Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5)
- Do to others what I would have them do to me (Matthew 7:12)
- Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God (Micah 6:8)
- Hate what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9, I Thessalonians 5:21-22)
- Share with God's people who are in need (Romans 12:13a, Hebrews 13:16)
- Practice hospitality (Romans 12:13b, I Peter 4:9)
- Love one another deeply, from the heart with God's love (I Peter 1:22b, I Corinthians 13:4-7)
- Do everything in love (I Corinthians 16:14)
- Live by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7)
- Give generously and cheerfully (II Corinthians 9:6-7)
- Carry each other's burdens...fulfilling the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2)
- Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave me (Ephesians 4:32)
- Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in my heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20)
- Submit to my husband as to the Lord in everything (Ephesians 5:22, 24)
- Respect my husband (Ephesians 5:33b)
- Put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17)
- Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18)
- Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than myself (Philippians 2:3)
- Have a Christ-like attitude (Philippians 2:5-11)
- Do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14)
- Rejoice in the Lord always (Philippians 4:4a) and be joyful always (I Thessalonians 5:16a)
- Work at whatever I do with all my heart, as working for the Lord, not for men (Colossians 3:23)
- Pursue righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (I Timothy 6:11)
- Be discreet/self-controlled, chaste, keeper at home, good, obedient to my husband (Titus 2:5)
- Encourage one another toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25)
- Fix my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2a)
- Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy (Hebrews 12:14a)
- Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19-20)
- Embrace a gentle and quiet spirit (I Peter 3:3-4)
- Hold my tongue when appropriate/necessary (Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 17:28)
- Train my children in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6) and impress upon my children God's commandments (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)
- Discipline my children (Proverbs 29:17)
I understand that our relationship with Jesus is much more than just a "To Do" list. Yet He said if we love Him, we are to obey His commands (John 14:15, 21, I John 5:3). By God's grace and with His help, I hope and pray that I will be able to accomplish all that is on this list. I know I will fail at times; however, I will continually strive to please God and aim for perfection (II Corinthians 5:9, II Corinthians 13:11). I desire to live my life by the Book (Bible)/God's standard...live according to His will...nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.
The scoop on me: Believer for 20 years; married 19 years; 8 children so far, hoping for more; live on a great hobby farm, with 7 goats, 2 dogs and 68 chickens. Oh, and 1 bathroom. That's always fun. :)
The scoop on our homeschool: Bible-first, Living Learning Moments, meaning if it happens, it's a lesson. We learn life! How long have we been homeschooling? Well, our oldest is 18. How much longer do we have to go? Well, our youngest is almost 1. We love it and wouldn't have it any other way.
Jeremiah 6:16
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
Adam walked in the Garden with God. He talked with him. God was his companion. Yet, that did not complete man. God's plan was different. Even as Adam walked with God, God saw a need in his new creation. God met that need with a woman.
Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Let us turn from the current 'pop-culture-christianity' society we live in and get back to the Word.
*************************
Proverbs 16:9
A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
******************
*
The Bible *
* is NOT *
* a fiction book *
******************
Keep their hearts. If you don't have their hearts, take note and re-capture their hearts!
Don't let the seeds sown by the ideal of today's youth culture ruin the glorious plans God has for your child.
Satan wants him. Your child is a jewel in Christ's crown, and satan wants him. Train him as such.
You want him more. So does the Lord.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Our School 2007-2008: How We Learn:
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Mom
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Early morning coffee-time to include:
* Bible Reading
* Prayer: for Husband, children
* Planning
*Reading to Littles
*Time to snuggle
*Computer Time
*Time with older children
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Everyone
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Love God and Family
*Bible Reading
*Self-discipline
*Proper Manners
*Polished Cornerstones or Plants Grown Up
*Art: sketching, coloring, painting
*Cooking
*Caring for animals
*Arithmetic
*scrapbooking, notebooking
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Teaching the Littles
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Love God and Family
*Self-discipline
*Proper Manners
*Cooking
*Caring for animals
*Arithmetic
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Fun For Littles
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Playing Cards - War
*Chalk and chalk board
*modeling clay, a cutting board and a plastic knife
*Counting chocolate chips
*folding laundry - towels are easy
*paper and pencil
*helping to make cookies
*rolling out dough (playing with the flour)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Teaching the Middles
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Self-discipline
*Cooking and Baking
*Sewing
*Feed and Care of Goats and Chickens
*Mathematics
*Reading Literature
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ High School
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
*Daily Bible Study
*Home Economics:Hospitality and the Art of Life
*Writing Essays
*Blogging
*Writing E-books
*Making up unit studies
*Literature: Foreign and American
*Life Skills
*Algebra
*Biology
*American History and Government
*Computer Technology & Web Design
*Reading Homeschool books
*Business Skills
*Spanish
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Deuteronomy 6:1-13
1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:
5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,
11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;
12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do:
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth
what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.
Thank you for the nominations! in these categories:
Best Homeschool Mom Blog
Best Unschooling or Eclectic Homeschooling Blog
Best Encourager Blog
Best Nitty-Gritty Homeschool Blog
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