I am excited to have found a very nice gas grill at a garage sale yesterday. Usually for Friday night supper we have pizza - but yesterday I decided to grill hotdogs and hamburgers on the new grill. It wasn't level because it was just in our backyard because the deck is being rebuilt - and the hotdogs kept rolling off! I thought I really should figure out how to do more fun things - like corn on the cob and chicken and potatoes, etc. I have seen recipes through the years - but have never tried it.  Recipes and ideas anyone?

Audrey

I read this book this week - what a challenge. I recommend this book heartily.  I was impressed by the spiritual walk of this young wife as she trusted her Lord in difficult situations. May I become more like her as I walk with my Lord.

Audrey

This is the time of year for reflection on our homeschool. I praise my Heavenly Father for His guidance, protection, encouragement and grace - for without Him, I can do nothing.

We are selling much of the curriculum that we used in years past - no sense hanging on to it all. I am praying that the Lord would bless and someone who needs the curriculum would be able to get a good deal.

Go to Home School Legal Defense's website and check out the market. I am selling the curriculum on auction with no reserve.

A friend from Japan sent me this quote and graciously agreed to let me post it on my blog.

Here is a quote from a Christian book I just started that I am really excited about:

"As you live the Christian life,
 you may have periods of darkness or of doubt.
 You may encounter painful struggle and discouragement
But there will also be moments of exultation and glory.
And most important of all,
you will become free."

( Taken from author John White in his book called THE FIGHT )

I have been studying Genesis 6-8 for a Scriptorium next spring. Did you know that our gracious God gave the people in Noah's day 120 years to repent? Also, Noah believed God and was a just man in his generation and he walked with God. May the Lord give me grace to be like Noah in that way. May it be evident in my life that I "walk with God".

Love,

Audrey

I found this quote in a book on church history that I am reading to my children.

"The years go by like running water.  Waste not the teachable days in idleness!" Alcuin, a brilliant Anglo-Saxon scholar. Circa 800 AD.

I thought the quote was insiteful and timeless.

Audrey

In my quiet Bible study time this morning, I read in Colossians 3 - I was impressed by how many times we are instructed to be thankful. Verse 15: "and let the peace of Christ rule in your  hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.

Verse 16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spirtual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Verse 17: "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everthing in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Gracious Heavenly Father, I pray you would work in my heart and help me to be thankful today.  Help me to consciously choose to be thankful for all things - good and pleasant and also the hard, unpleasant, irritating situations and people in my life.  You are so good to me and I choose to be thankful today.

Grace and peace,

Audrey

How to Pray for our Children

The following list is designed to pray one request per day, thus enabling you to go through the list each month.

I have used this list off and on for the last 15 years.  God is faithful and has answered many, many of my prayers!  We serve such a good and faithful God.  I trust this will bless you as well as you seek to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace,

Audrey

1. That they will trust in Christ as Savior and Lord early in life and in their youth be examples in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, and in purity.
2. That they will love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, and strength.
3. That they will become wise and view life, people, and circumstances as God does.
4. That they will be humble, contrite in spirit, and live to glorify the Lord.
5. That God would give them a deep hunger and thirsting for Himself.
6. That they would have an obedient, respectful, and loyal spirit for their parents and other authorities.
7. That their spirits would be quickened and the soil of their hearts would be fertile and ready to accept truth.
8. That they would fully believe and experience God the Father’s perfect love, forgiveness, and acceptance of them.
9. That they would learn to live in the fear of the Lord, realizing that God is just and lovingly judges everyone of their motives, words, thoughts, actions, and attitudes.
10. That they would learn to simply trust in the Lord with all their hearts and not to fear.
11. That they will be protected from the temptations of Satan in each area of their lives:  spiritual, emotional, physical.
12. That they will be caught when guilty.
13. That they will grow in meekness, not given to anger, exercising self-control, yielding all rights and expectations to God.
14. That when convicted of offending another, they will clear their conscience.
15. That they would begin the daily discipline of reading the Bible and praying.
16. That they would joyfully accept all the unchangeables about themselves.
17. That they would know and understand their position in the Lord Jesus Christ, cast down false imaginations, and build towers of truth in their minds.
18. That they will desire the right kind of friends and be protected from the wrong ones.
19. That they will learn not to tolerate a little sin to enjoy passing pleasure.
20. That they will not allow bitterness and selfishness to remain in their hearts.
21. That they will have a hatred for sin, submitting themselves to God and actively resisting and fleeing Satan.
22. That their thoughts and bodies would be kept pure and that sexual curiosities and drives would motivate them to deepen their intimacy with God
23. That they will find and keep themselves pure for the right mate and that the ones they will marry will also be kept pure until marriage.
24. That they would show love to their siblings each day.
25. That they will be free from the love of money and financially responsible.
26. That they would learn to boldly share their faith with the unsaved.
27. That they will have a purpose bigger in life than an occupation or marriage.
28. That they will have a vision for a life of service, ministry, or missions.
29. That they would view suffering as God’s vehicle to bring blessing and build character and learn “all things do work together for good.”
30. That as they grow older they will always remember the training and values of their godly heritage and never depart from it.

A special birthday blessing to a friend on Saturday March 22!!!!

Have a great day.  Enjoy your family.

Blessings,

Alethia Academy

God of the Ages

by Margaret Clarkson

To the tune of Morning Has Broken…

God of the ages, history's maker

Planning our pathway, holding us fast.

Shaping in mercy all that concerns us

Father we praise you, Lord of the past.

God of the morning, gladly Your children

Worship before you, trustingly bow.

Teach us to know You Always among us

Quietly sovereign, Lord of our now.

God of tomorrow, Strong Overcomer

Princes of darkness own Your command

What then can harm us? We are Your people

Now and forever, kept by Your hand.

Lord of past ages, Lord of this morning

Lord of the future, help us we pray.

Teach us to trust You, Love and obey you.

Crown you each moment, Lord of Today.

I saw this idea in another blog - thought it was great - so, Lord-willing I will try to write some things I am thankful for on Thursday

I am thankful for the Word of God that tells me how to live and to please God.  I am thankful for my godly husband who works so hard to provide for our family.  I love him so much. I am thankful for my children - my oldest is 15 and is learning to use his talents for the Lord and to serve other people.  That is a blessing to me.  My 13 year old son is working hard on his school work.  He would like to be a pastor one day.  He will make a good one, if the Lord wills.  He is studying Greek.  It is all GREEK to me! My daughter, 11, is learning how to bake the most delicious bread.  Last night at supper my dear husband told her he wasn't just going to give her away to just any man! He had to deserve he good baking! My 9 year old son is a joy to me.  He works hard on his school work and plays well with his siblings.  He also has the most gorgeous eyes and a winsome smile.  He is such a pleasant kid to be around.  He also has a goal to catch a fish as long as his arm!  We plan to go to PA this spring - and he probably will get his chance.  My youngest just turned 4 on Tuesday.  On Sunday, we had company for dinner and he said to me "Mom, you are such a good cooker!" I love all my children and feel blessed to be able to be with them and teach them the fear of the Lord.

I was tagged by 

The rules are:
(1) Link to the person that tagged you.
(2) Post the rules on your blog.
(3) Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
(4) Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
(5) Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

1.  Today I ran 2 miles - and actually went no where because I was on my treadmill!  I am training for a 5K race this spring.

2.  Today is also my youngest child's fourth birthday.

3.  I once wore hair curlers to school when I was in the 4th grade.  That's what I get for letting my little sister comb out my hair.

4.  I used to write for the local paper - I was assigned different places to go and people to interview.  I would take pictures of people and put them on the front page of the paper.  I used to get paid to do that.  Recently I was waiting for a friend at a coffee shop, picked up the local newspaper and there was my photo on the front page of the paper!  Yikes!  I guess what goes around comes around.

5.  I am working on memorizing John 15 - 17 for a Scriptorium at Hannibal Missouri in May.  I am challenged by some of Christ's last words to his disciples before He was crucified.  John 17 is Christ's prayer for his followers, including His prayer for those who would  believe in Him later.  That includes ME!  That is pretty exciting, and not unimportant.

6.  I have an elementary education degree which means I know how to teach all of these children.  What I have found, however, is what I really need is Christ and His power in my life to make godly choices and respond to situations with kindness and not with anger.

 I am not sure I know how to do this.  I will have to ask my favorite storm spotter aka my son Andy, the one who tagged me.

Serving the Lord Jesus Christ with a glad heart,

BlogBoy

PlainJane

Murdockb

00mem

isantisky

Audrey

I was challenged recently to consider a Bible verse or passage to think about for 2008.  I was reading in Ezra and decided on Ezra 7: 10 & 28

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel....I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me.

So, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ - I want to set my heart to study His Word, to Do what God says and to teach His Word to my children and others that the Lord may bring into my life.  Also, where will I get the strength and resolve?  From the Lord!  I will take courage for the hand of the Lord my God is upon me.  Amen and Amen

Here is a quote that I found especially challenging - I hope it encourages you, too.  I found it in a book called Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney, page 39.

"He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more.  He overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case.  He does not expect perfection in the creature, and therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it."  ---Charles Spurgeon

Dear Lord,

Please help me to grow in grace and to remember that I am but dust.  Help me to respond in kindness and grace and mercy to any situation I may face.

In Jesus' name,

Amen

Today is my 40th birthday!  My family is throwing a party for me...Yeah!

We didn't really know what to do for my birthday...and I have been studying Titus 2 and thinking about how blessed I am to have had such good examples of godly ladies in my life throughout the years.  So, we are having a Titus 2 party to honor some of the many ladies who have impacted my life in a Titus 2 kind of way.

My first example was my pastor's wife when I was still in high school.  As the Lord got a hold of my heart and I aspired to be a godly lady - there she was a shining example.  I remember most her calm, sweet spirit and her gentle respect for her husband.  I also remember her tender care for her 5 young children.  One memory I have of her is this:  we were serving in the nursery together one Sunday and her small toddler daughter had disobeyed her.  She calmly laid the child over her knee and gave her a spanking.  I have never forgotten the look on her face as she did this, one of deep concern and love for her child - that her daughter learn to obey immediately and without question.  There was absolutely no evidence of anger or frustration in her spirit at all.  I had never seen any thing like that before. Through the years with my own five children I have really tried to heed her example of loving, concerned discipline, sadly I have failed many times.  Nevertheless I am grateful for her example and I continue to try.

My pastor's wife's mother also was someone I looked up to early in my walk with the Lord.  She is a godly lady.  She taught me that when I do the dishes, I should place the sharp knives horizontally in the front of the sink - so I always am aware that they are there and so I won't cut myself.  I still do that today and I think of her with fondness every time.

I must go for  now....so many responsibilities. I hope to continue with this post and tell you about many of the other ladies...and how the party went!

Thank you Lord for the many godly examples in my life.  May I be an example to those who follow me.

Amen

We started school a few weeks ago.  I love this time of year - so full of hope and energy!  The children are doing well - the schedule, although it needs tweeking, is working.  The house is even relatively clean.

My parents came for a visit over the weekend.  It was very pleasant - the best I can remember.  My mother, bless her heart, after almost 50 years decided to quit smoking and she has done so well!  I am so very proud of her hard work and devotion.  The last 2 times we saw her - she was so sick, yea nigh unto death.  Her complexion is so much better, her energy level, her outlook on life, everything.  She is working hard to compile stories of her childhood.  I learned this weekend, for example, that my mom had a sister who died when my mom was 10 years old.  I cried as I read her account of her sister's illness - she was 25, married and pregnant with her second child.  After the boy was born, it was found that Frances had cancer of the spine and died a few months later.  I never heard that story before.  My parents didn't  talk very much at all about their childhoods.  In fact, after my first child was born, my aunt said "Oh, you named him after Gampy".  I said "Who is Gampy".  Well, that was my grandfather, my dad's dad.  I never knew him because he died before I was born - but I never knew  his name was Andrew.  My dad never spoke of his dad.  I hope to tell my children all I can about my life.  They probably wish I would be quiet.  Some day they will appreciate it more, I am sure. 

So long for now.