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Filthy Rags & Righteousness

Apr 28th, 2011 by carriejoy

I had the priviledge of meeting  a couple of heros yesterday.  Jenn and Chris A.,  from a town not so far from me, are doing the impossible.  They’re rescuing a life. 

I have thought recently of how costly it is to save a life.  And how so many people who COULD do something, aren’t.  I don’t hold that against anyone who doesn’t claim Christ, but I do hold it against those who do claim Him.

Anyone who knows me, knows I have spent the last 4 years dunging out my house.  Loads and loads of stuff has gone and I’ve done pretty well at not bring stuff back in.  And, if you know me at all, you know that Reece’s Rainbow is a huge, huge deal to me.  And, if you REALLY know me, you know my finances are beyond crap.  And I can’t adopt.  I can pray and I can try to help raise funds.  So, I’ve been boxing up junk in hopes of holding a garbage sale to raise money for an adopting family.  But I just can’t get it together. 

My sweet friend, Tamara, mentioned Jenn and Chris who are near to me.  Jenn is having a sale this weekend and yes, she’d love to take my stuff.  I confess that I really started to get paranoid that all that stuff really and truly was just JUNK and should be in the burn pile, rather than the garbage sale pile.  And it really hit me, that all I have to offer truly IS filthy rags.  And that our Lord can take those dirty, stinky and probably moldy items and make something beautiful.  Like a rescue.

But I was just on my figurative face before God, sobbing that I have nothing, NOTHING to offer these people, this little girl Olga who is waiting for a family, this God of mine.  Nothing to offer.  Just this huge pile of junky rubble.  And I am so incredibly inadequate.  I almost backed out of giving my stuff I was so ashamed of it and of myself.  But I decided to go ahead and offer my filth to the Lord in the hope that He’d be faithful and bring about the beauty needed to bring this little girl home.

I don’t know how much of a blessing it will be, but it is not in my hands.  I have to follow His leading.  But oh, my friends, I am so incredibly convicted about the filth of my own righteousness.  How easy it is to be sure of doing the “right thing” and righteous about how *I* am doing what I can, how come YOU aren’t.  And then, I remember: my part is just filthy, filthy rags.  God have mercy on my soul.

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Readeez the Wonder Videos!

Apr 18th, 2011 by carriejoy

“Mom?”

“Yes, Einar?”

“I think Isabel is cute.”

And so it starts.  Ok, it really started with Julia from church.  When he was 3.  And she was a teenager.  But I have to admit, Isabel is in the same class – lovely and fun and brilliant.  Who is Isabel?  Why, she’s the awesome girl from our Readeez videos.  So, you’ll understand that I’m perfectly ok with his crush.  And I’m sure if Isabel’s daddy knew Einar, he’d be just fine with his sweet attentions to his daughter.   (It helps that Isabel is animated!)

We’d been using Readeez off and on for a couple of months via Facebook and Youtube.  We all loved them and cheered whenever Readeez posted a new one on their Facebook page.  However, about two months ago, we received the downloads for Vol 1, 2 & the CD (Volume 3 has since been added and there are physical DVDs and CDs as well.)  Readeez was having a sale on the downloads and I commented that I was so excited and hopeful to get it when we had enough money.  (I think it was only $20 for the bundle on sale and $24 normally, so not a bad price at all for this cheapskate!)  The company founder, Michael Rachap, actually messaged me personally to offer me the download.  No strings attached.  I cried.  Seriously.  I did. It’s been a ROUGH, rough year and Mr. Rachap (ray-shap) has no idea how kind that was and what a lift it was when I was so low.

Anyway, BACK TO THE PRODUCT, I was surprised at what a difference having the download makes. First, it is SUPER NICE not to have the kids ‘online’.  I can put the download on a non-internet computer and have the kids watch and not worry about what they might click on. Second, our internet is sometimes sketchy and mean at us. Not having to rely on it for this is just wonderful.

I use Readeez 3-5 times a week for all my kids, but my main targets are my almost 4yo son and my almost 9yo son (now 9! It’s taken me a while to get this written!)   My oldest really struggles with dyslexia, but he is LOVING the Readeez. Knowing the ‘brain science’ behind it, I am confident that new pathways are being built in his brain and that the ‘naturalness’ of the videos makes a difference.  I had to email Mr. Rachap and encourage him to check out Glenn Doman’s work.  (And you should too if you’re interested in early childhood education, recovering from brain injury or just really incredible, brilliant people!)  You can see it coming.   Mr. Rachap already knew of Doman and had even written a paper referencing him!  (I looked for the link, but I can’t find it. I’ll have to add it later.)

The rest of us enjoy Readeez for the fun tunes, sweet characters and the clean imagery. I REALLY REALLY REALLY like the clean imagery. I have wanted to find some ‘follow the bouncing ball’ type of cartoons for the kids as I remembered learning to read with them as a young child and LOVING it. We had Modes of Transportation stuck in our heads today and it wasn’t even annoying! THAT is a trick!  And the other thing I really appreciate about Readeez is that the central characters are a father and daughter in a good relationship.  Readeez  are HOPEFUL.

I am a homeschool teacher of 3 kids and previously to that I was a 4-12 grade language arts teacher for 10 years. I have seen a lot of gimmicky things come down the pike. Readeez is totally on to something. So very excited to have found it. Wish it had been here when my two oldest were littles. Glad to have it now!  Check out the links.  The visual quality of the downloads is VERY much better than the youtube content.  So get your feet wet by checking out the Readeez website and their Youtube channel.  And then take the plunge and buy the downloads.  That is my totally unsolicited advice.  Oh, and “like” Readeez on Facebook.  It is such fun to have a catchy little video come across your newsfeed!

We love these little videos and are so glad to have them.  Thank you so much, Mr. Rachap. 

Disclosure: I did receive a download copy.  But it was not for ‘review” purposes. I am doing this review because the product is fabulous and because I am glad to be able to spread the word to my homeschool community.  And I am grateful to Mr. Rachap and wish to pay back what I can since I still can’t afford anything. Sigh.  (But that Volume 3 is on my list!)  (And I’m hoping that he’ll do some more Bible ones!!  And put them as a download too!! HINT HINT HINT!!!)

Posted in Schooling, Uncategorized, websites/links | 1 Comment »

Morning Blessings

Apr 13th, 2010 by carriejoy

Love mornings like this.  Gracie-Dog woke me up earlier than I’d have liked, but that worked out ok.  I did a bunch of my online stuff and about a half an hour later heard my sweet William calling me, telling me he was awake.  He has the cutest little voice.  I just love it.  We played for a bit together and then moved on.  He decided to get Eme up.  She’d slept on the couch due to her room being really warm.  (I did make the fire a bit hotter than I’d intended!)

~~

Wayde is gone with his papa and Einar is with my mom.  It’s been such a slow and strifeless morning.  Eme is cooking breakfast.  I’ve had two LARGE cups of tea (yum!) William is just being a cutie…  So nice to be just enjoying each other’s company.

~~

The morning started out damp and cloudy.  It rained some during the night.  But the sky is so blue and the temperature is very kind.  The sun streams in the window by the computer.  Earlier, Eme was in the computer chair eating an orange.  Her hair just glowed and the orange was like a jewel.

~~

Soon we’ll get the trash bagged up and take it to the dump.  The fridge stinks and SOMETHING has to get out of it.  Today is also Wayde’s birthday, but I don’t have any good ideas.

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Fun School Fridays

Sep 2nd, 2009 by carriejoy

My lovely friend Suz (who has the most lovely speaking voice and should be paid to talk to people) has some FABULOUS ideas for shaking up school on Fridays.  She has graciously started a blog and she posts  weekly what she and her kids do.

~

Her Fun School Friday blog is worth checking out.  I don’t know how to subscribe to it or I’d suggest that too.  We haven’t “officially” started our year yet, but her latest ideas are fabulous (but ha, you’ll have to wait to find out what they are!!)  So, this week I plan to do FSF just because it looks so good. 

~

Confession:  I’d ignored the first 2 weeks since I wasn’t “doing school” yet.  That was dumb.  Don’t be dumb like me.

~

And just in case anyone wondered, we have had a rough time of it these last several months.  I’d sure appreciate your prayers. 

 

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Purposefully Untitled

Mar 1st, 2009 by carriejoy

My father is:

angry

mean

unwilling to change

waiting for someone to change him

blaming others for his condition

running out of time

and me?

I am too many of these things

I choose today, for this moment to

get up

move

BE who I want to be

who I ought to be

even

if I don’t feel like it.

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