How Fragile Is Your Ego?

by Russ Lawson
An ego is a tremendous motivator. At the same time, that ego can also
be a horrible problem for us. While it may be a necessary part of who
we are, it can sometimes come into direct conflict with who we should
be.

Many of us find keeping our feelings of "self-worth" or "importance" in
line with the instructions of God very difficult. On the one hand, we
are told that we are worth more than anything else in all of creation
to God. On the other hand, we are also told to humble ourselves and
become servants to others. We seemingly are caught in the middle! I
like the following little story that illustrates our struggle with our
ego:

  As a professor at Texas A & M, I taught during the day and did
  research at night. I would usually take a break around nine,
  however, calling up the strategy game Warcraft on the Internet and
  play with an on-line team.

  One night I was paired with a veteran of the game who was a master
  strategist. With him at the helm, our troops crushed opponent after
  opponent, and after six games we were undefeated. Suddenly my
  fearless leader informed me his mom wanted him to go to bed. "How
  old are you?" I typed. "Twelve," he replied. "How old are you?"

  Feeling my face redden, I answered, "Eight."

I'm still working on my humility!

Aha! There's that fragile ego getting in the way -- that ego that makes
leaders and can destroy people. It causes us to excel and causes us to
lie for fear someone will think less of us. I am convinced that we
could solve a lot of our family problems, church problems, and world
problems if we could just learn to say, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake, I
was wrong." Yet far too often, our ego will not let us do that. James,
likely the brother of Jesus, challenged believers to practice humility
in their dealings with others: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the
Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:1 KJV).

If we ever want to be lifted up by God, we are going to have to learn
the art of humility. Satan longs to get hold of the part of us that
refuses to admit weaknesses and mistakes. The apostle Paul, however,
strongly taught us to have a humble attitude toward life:

  Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he
  was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made
  himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and
  appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled
  himself even further by dying a criminal’s death on a cross.
  Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and
  gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name
  of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
  earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
  the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:5-11 NLT).

The apostle Peter writes about Jesus, our example:

  He never sinned, and he never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate
  when he was insulted. When he suffered, he did not threaten to get
  even. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges
  fairly. Will your ego allow you to do that? To not worry about
  getting even or looking perfect to others, will it allow you to
  leave your life "in the hands of God, who always judges fairly? (1
  Peter 2:22-23 NLT)

I don't know about you, but I'm still working on my humility, praying
to be genuinely humble, and trying to trust God to work in my life more
each day. I hope you are as well!

YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN

Know ye not that . . ye are not your own?--1 Corinthians 6:19


There is no such things as a private life - "a world within the
world" - for a man or woman who is brought into fellowship with Jesus
Christ's sufferings. God breaks up the private life of His saints,
and makes it a thoroughfare for the world on the one hand and for
Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is
identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for our selves,
we are called into the fellowship of the Gospel, and things happen
which have nothing to do with us, God is getting us into fellowship
with Himself. Let Him have His way, if you do not, instead of being
of the slightest use to God in His Redemptive work in the world, you
will be a hindrance and a clog.

The first thing God does with us is to get us based on rugged Reality
until we do not care what becomes of us individually as long as He
gets His way for the purpose of His Redemption. Why shouldn't we go
through heartbreaks? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of
fellow ship with His Son. Most of us fall and collapse at the first
grip of pain; we sit down on the threshold of God's purpose and die
away of self-pity, and all so called Christian sympathy will aid us
to our death bed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the
pierced hand of His Son, and says - "Enter into fellowship with Me;
arise and shine." If through a broken heart God can bring His
purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your
heart.
Oswald Chambers

Many promising reconciliations have broken down because, while
both parties came prepared to forgive, neither party came
prepared to be forgiven.-- Charles Williams

Fear Not!
by Os Hillman 

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7

God calls each of us to engage in spiritual warfare at times. Whenever satan wants to come against one of God's children, he does so by trying to intimidate through fear.

Goliath's formidable size and arrogant boasting intimidated Saul and Israel's army. And because God's anointing had fallen from Saul, he was unable to respond with courage to Goliath's charge. Fear paralyzes and torments. That is why Saul could not respond.

The anointing had fallen on David, who was just a young boy, but mighty in spirit. David did not cower at the size or shouts of the giant Goliath. He saw Goliath through the eyes of God, who saw him as a mere speck. David had righteous indignation for an affront to the armies of the living God.

David did not weigh the risk of failure because his faith was resting totally in God. That is another important factor in overcoming fear-complete trust in God.

When the Lord began training me to confront fear, the training grounds were a groundless lawsuit, intimidations, and calamity that confronted my very existence. Learning that these were merely tactics of the enemy, designed to instill fear, allowed me to stand firm in God's power to overcome.

Do not fear sudden calamity if you are walking uprightly before God. It may be setting the stage for a great victory that will bring praise and honor to your heavenly Father. These battles are training grounds for greater victories to come.

These are our newest additons as of today 10-28-06...they are just to cute! The funny thing is, is that I have 2 really good setter hens and they both set these eggs, we had removed the one mamma hen to get these pictures and the other one is behind the nest looking in...LOL...

  These are pictures taken just down the road from us it was just to pretty not to have pictures of it!

The Unschooling Handbook: How to Use the Whole World as Your Child’s Classroom by Mary Griffith
    
Reviewed by Rebecca Uchill
  
Mary Griffith surveys unschooling families and compiles their responses.  She reports on the theories behind and implications of Unschooling, and provides suggestions for general concerns and specific academic subjects:

Present-day Americans have difficulty imagining education that does not resemble school.  But until the 1850’s “common school” movement, school was mostly optional.  Most knowledge children needed to become competent adults was acquired through doing tasks along with adults and knowing that this work was essential to their livelihood.  Along with the establishment of public schools and compulsory attendance laws came a general belief that school was essential for children to become modern-day citizens.  There was little discussion about whether school was indeed an indispensable institution.

In the 1970’s, educator John Holt used the term “unschooling” to describe the act of homeschooling.  The term now refers to the specific style of child-centered learning advocated by Holt.  Today this method occupies between ten and fifty percent of the homeschooling movement.

Unschooling in Practice:

Unschooling is an informal approach to education based on the premise that people who make their own decisions perform more competently than those whose behavior is controlled or judged by others.   Unschoolers take issue with  conventional education: If you take responsibility away from children, they have no stake in the outcome and learn to follow orders over problem-solving.  How is one neat package of information the authoritative “education”?  School puts parents in conflict with teachers.  Unschooling is easier for parents because they need not plan lessons or grade tests but more difficult in that learning is ever-present and collaborative. 

Unschoolers are curious and natural learners at any time or in any setting.  They know people acquire skills at different paces and ages.  They are interested in and tolerant of a wide variety of people.  They are confident.  They are critical thinkers. 

When deciding whether to practice unschooling, weigh practical considerations such as legal, financial, and scheduling issues. 

Resources:

Every thing your children interface with is an implement for their learning.  Supply books that respond to the children’s interests, not textbooks but “real” books written by and for people with an interest in the subject.  Help them learn to search for those books, this will help them to think and read critically.  Gardening, game playing, working with art supplies, and music are all good resources; it is not important to spend a lot of money or buy “kits”. 

Technology can be a part of unschooling in the forms of television, computer and internet.  Just because a TV program or computer software is not designated as “educational” does not mean that it offers no potential for learning.

Your child may need an outside instructor to teach a subject that you are unfamiliar with.  Unschooled children may adapt well to courses where instruction is “sequenced to develop physical skills” such as with ballet or martial arts.  They may not enjoy group lessons which require strict or product-oriented curricula, where other children are uninterested, and may be frustrated by inattention or misbehavior of less focused students.  If you choose a private tutor, allow your child to be involved with the selection process. 

Comparisons with “Schooled” Peers:

Both parents and children worry about “keeping up” with schooled peers.  Remind them that schools teach different topics at different grades and encourage unnecessary competition and verification of learning through testing.  Unschoolers can keep records other than or in addition to those required by states law in the form of grids, journals, portfolios, or informal transcripts.  Not many unschoolers use tests as a way of measuring ability. 

Kids might want to try going to school; sometimes an experimental week in a classroom satisfies their curiosity.  If they choose to attend school full time, the family may need to adjust.  Unschoolers who go to school tend to do well because they want to learn, it was their choice to attend, and they are aware school is not their only option. 

Reading:

Children will learn to read if allowed to do so at their own pace and in the way which works best for them.  Read to your children to set the example and garner enthusiasm for reading.  Children will learn to write along with learning to read and development of fine motor skills.  Many parents downplay concerns about penmanship in exchange for encouraging content by becoming scribes or using the computer as a tool.  Projects or email can promote writing skills.

Math:

Math can be taught through cooking, money, games, books.  Often unschoolers with no formal training in math acquire mathematics through real world applications or can catch up with formally instructed peers easily.  You do not need to keep up with your child in math, she is the one doing the learning.

Science: 

Science is a “matter of attitude.”  It involves observation, prediction and experimentation.  Studies of nature or toys like pulleys, magnifying glasses, or binoculars are all ways for unschoolers to explore science.  Older teens who desire a more formal “lab science” equivalent might want a textbook or mentor.

History: 

History need not be learned in chronological order or require memorization of dates and names.  Maps and timelines can assist in teaching non-chronological history.  Books, movies, family genealogy, environmental living programs and travel can all be vehicles to exploring history.

Arts:

In a traditional school’s once a week regimen, focus on product, neatness, and “talent” in the arts can subdue the enthusiasm of children.  Unschoolers tend to continue with enjoyed activities beyond a traditional school age.  Because they are unaccustomed to “prescriptive” instruction, they may have an easier time experimenting or purely enjoying their informal arts activities.  Most children prefer professional supplies to children’s kits.  Some may desire formal instruction at a certain point.  If so, talk with your children about lessons first -- what are their objectives?  Would they like reminders to practice?

Unschooling as a Lifestyle:

Unschooling is a way of life that has many advantages over conventional schooling.  It tailors learning to the needs of children and families.  Unschooled children are more in touch with themselves and have a fire to learn that can otherwise be vanquished in school.  Unschooling can reweave family and community.  It does not arbitrarily categorize areas or levels of learning.  It empowers its practitioners in their own uniqueness and so encourages tolerance of all uniqueness.  It encourages the pursuit of passions and joy.  A full society of unschoolers would be a better society.

We had visitation for my uncles funeral this evening and we had one of those dreaded 'unschooling' moments..LOL...My sis-n-law and I were sitting and talking and she look over at our dd and ask about school...dd's comment was "I haven't been doing it"...LOL...I really wanted die since I don't generally discuss how we homeschool with my family! I began pointing out things to dd that she does that is learning....helping me with cooking(fractions, home-ec, health) gathering and counting eggs(math to include addition subtraction multiplication and division, this is also biology/science) she loves to play office and write and things(spelling and handwriting)she is in our church christmas play this year and she has to read her lines...LOL... she reads daily, she loves to type on the computer and is forever asking me how to spell....we do lapbooking projects and timeline projects...we do word searches, crossword puzzles..we watch the science channel, history channel and of course her all time favorite animal planet! Learning takes place everywhere, everyday in everything!

On the way home she began asking questions about death, heaven, hell and even dinosaurs in the bible so we had a history and bible lesson...During this discussion on going to heaven and how we will look there, she sat there quietly for a moment and said, "You know God sure is gonna have a lot to explain to me when I get there"... anyway that was our comedic relief during a rather sad time.

..I have been thinking all night about how even our children become conditioned to sitting at a table and doing workbooks and worksheets and think thats all there is to learning...This led to thinking about the disciples and how Jesus taught them, he never used desk, chalk boards, or had certain hours he 'schooled' them...they simply followed him and talked with Him. I am by no means saying text books or worksheets are wrong, they are needed, but there are so many more ways to learn...I guess the really positive thing is, is that dd doesn't realize she is learning so she doesn't seem to mind...I think we will begin keeping a journal of what we do daily and just see how much we learn in our un-conventional ways!

Hugs from the Farm--

I won't be posting my "Gleanings from the Word" this week. I had an uncle die yesterday and it will be a busy week with family members coming in and the funeral...I will try to update this as time allows. Take care, tell someone you love them and keep Jesus first!

Hugs from the Farm-

Kristy

Posted in Recipes

3 cups of granulated sugar

1 cup of vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 lb. canned or fresh pumpkin

3 1/2 cups of flour

2/3 cups of water

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. EACH of cinnamom, allspice and nutmeg

Mix sugar, oil and eggs together, Add pumpkin. The add dry ingrediants, and finally water, stirring just until mixed. Pour batter into two(2) greased and floured 9x5 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Well, actually everyday is the Lord's day! Its a very cold day here at the farm but the "Son" is shining bright so all is good!! We are off to church this morning, then its back home for good ol' homemade chili with a big pan of corn bread(baked in an iron skillet, ain't nothin' better!!) The dd and hubby are off to the woods to deer hunt..Think I may actually take a nap! Hope you day is good!

Hugs from the Farm--