Outside My Window… chickens and lawn furniture, the tiller sitting in the garden, Isaac trowing sticks for Blondie to fetch, and the volunteer sunflowers that the boys keep picking. I am ignoring the overgrown field of weeds 5 feet tall and will get the goats out instead of the weedeater today… I am thinking… that I want Amanda, Jocelyn, and Rachel to do this meme every week. And probably Hannah too.
I am thankful for… my boys who are determined, it seems, to be in trouble today; a sunny day for them to play outside, and girls who are planning and working with me
From the kitchen… smells of the roast Rachel is cooking in the oven, Caleb emptying the tray from the water dispenser.
I am hoping… for nicer weather and to pack up an move nearer to our family out West soon
I am hearing… the hum of the fan, the cicadas, my children
Around the house… we are writing and editing GGM articles and de-stuffing our barns, house and outbuildings, planning school
One of my favorite things… seeing LL sign the words we have taught her and trying to say the words
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: continuing the de-stuffing, having Isaac’s birthday cake, setting “stuff” down by the road to give away and finishing TOS reviews
I have been on a journey now for my entire life, and I did not even know it until about five years ago. It has been a journey to become the woman God created me to be. There have been curves in the road, barricades and detours. So many times, I was not even close to the right path, but I know the Lord was watching me and trying to get my attention. I am thankful for His faithfulness and the prayers of many I may never know.
I am blessed today to be on the closest path to fulfilling my purpose that I have ever been on. I am privileged to stay at home and train my children in the Lord and an uncompromising education. I am nowhere near where I should be or could be had I been counting it such a privilege to be a wife and mother since I came to the Lord in 1988.
It is hard to admit that I still struggle daily with being a cooperative and pleasant wife of a very hard-working husband. It is a journey I am still on. I do not know why God deemed it my lot to have these wonderful children, but there is not a time I am not thankful. That sounds impossible, but I always end my thoughts, even after frustrations, with how sweet my child is and how much I truly love him or her. That is only from God, because it has not always been this way!
I asked myself for the first ten years - and sometimes I asked others, “Why did God give me three girls first?”. I am not sure I can yet fully answer that question, but it has been proven many times how blessed I am to have three daughters first in our large family. These girls are such a blessing, a joy, and my best girlfriends. I am honored to be their mother.
As I said, we did not really have an understanding of woman and her design and purpose until about nine years ago. God spoke into our hearts about having children. He showed me in His Word why He gives us children and what happens when He gives us children. We started trusting Him in that, and it changed our lives. Shortly after this new-found understanding, we went through some very difficult trials that caused us to search and be confident in God’s Word alone. The things we learned in the next two years put us further into God’s plan for our lives.
At this time, and each year before, I had no idea what a wife really was. I mean, I understood that I was Matt’s partner as a married woman, but I did not understand my Biblical role, and even moreso, I did not understand what that Biblical role of a woman meant to my husband and children. I’m not sure I do yet. I do, in my brain and my heart, but my flesh is unwilling to let me remember sometimes still. ugh. Needless to say, we have stuck with each other through thick and thin, but not in a God-honoring way many times. Only by God’s grace can I shake the feminist bonds and become the lovely woman God created me to be.
Five years ago, I got a hold of a different homeschooling philosophy through such resources as Educating the Wholehearted Child and The Charlotte Mason Companion. Then, three years ago, I found a few sites that promoted a Biblical life. Sadly, that was all new to me. I had been a Christian for fifteen years, but did not have a clear understanding of denying my rights for His. I started reading my Bible differently, and God put a hunger in me to be a Godly wife. I no longer read it from my perspective, but from God’s. It wasn’t the world’s or the Church’s point of view I saw. I finally saw how different Scriptures I had heard or read over and over related to each other. It was as though I understood a new language. I understood that God has a specific personality and is steady. I can see, in His Word, what God thinks about things. He told us, and it is in there, if we look and listen. The Old Testament became more real to me and more a part of the New Testament than it had ever been.
I found some family resources and heard what I had already heard preached many times, but now it seeped into my spirit, and I soaked it all up. I was ecstatic. I was thrilled to finally ’see’ what the Bible meant. I wanted to learn it all and do it all, because we had lost so much time in the first fifteen years I had known the Lord. On the other hand, my girls hated it. I was so full of zeal for this new-found understanding of womanhood, I didn’t want to wait for them to catch up. There were some deep-seated worldly ideals that we had allowed in, and it took quite the strength and perseverance from all of us to get them out. Slowly, though, things changed in all of our hearts.
I put the family on a schedule that helped us do things we had never done before. We cleaned and cooked and homeschooled in an order that allowed for time for other things. We started doing things that the world no longer holds in high regard. We were so thrilled to learn them and enjoy each other and have something to show for it. We were blessed to make quilts and include it as a part of their learning. We started sewing. We spent time scrapbooking together. We had home births with our sixth and seventh children and welcomed two new sons into the family together as a family affair. We bought two goats and became interested in homesteading. There were still rebellion issues with the girls, but God walked us through them. He kept us close through the anger and hurt and brought us closer than we had ever been. He had a purpose.
When the girls and I started blogging in April 2006, my intention was for them to do weekly assignments for English or Research, but, before I knew it, a monster had been created… or two… or three. To this day I am amazed at how God used blogging to shape their perspectives and cause them to research and write things that I never could have anticipated or assigned. They wanted to blog, and they came up with topics on their own. I was quality control, editor, and their personal confidante in many topics, from the silly daily things to heart-breaking issues to deep Biblical posts.
God has allowed blogging to be a large part of our training our daughters. Having the three of them so close in age has allowed them to play off of each other in their beliefs, thoughts and silliness. They can be each others’ biggest heroes and biggest thorns! But, oh! I can see the love and integrity and compassion and fervor they each share for each other. And for their friends! Real life created many opportunities for reflection and soul-searching, and allows them to do it inwardly and openly at the same time. They have grown from the inside out.
Some days, we talk about the Bible and how it relates to our lives for hours. We revisit Scriptures as we serve dinner and clean or watch the Littles. Out of the blue, we can start a conversation about God or His plan or any number of things in His Word and see how it relates to our lives. Are we doing what God has for us? Are our attitudes or thoughts honoring God? Are we being too harsh or judgmental? All of these questions are open conversations in our home, and God uses them to shape us and open our eyes to His truths. And we are blessed.
I always wanted a boy first. I wanted a boy for three consecutive pregnancies. I could not see the future. I did not know what a blessing girls are. I did not understand what it is to be a woman, to train young women, to teach them how to become women. I did not foresee all of the times we would cook together and laugh and cry and scrapbook. All of the heartaches and tears. The smiles and fears that we overcome with the Word of God. And now, to have two daughters who are almost adults, to watch all of my girls, at ages 18, 17, 14, 8, and 1, just love on each other; it is such an honor. It warms my heart in a way that I know only God could have foreseen.
I do not deserve the unconditional love that my daughters show me on a daily basis. Or that any of my children show me, for that matter. I am not always the best example of gentleness, love or holiness. I do not always start my day off in the Word as I would like to do. We have by no means arrived, nor am I saying that our particular journey is the only way to become who God has created woman to be. I am still so sinful, and I do not feel worthy of so many blessings as God has given me. It is a good thing that neither my goodness nor my sinfulness is the measure by which God gives me His grace. It is a good thing He measures it out much more than any of us deserves.
Learning that truth in the past few years has allowed me to look at the role of a woman, a wife, and a mother differently. It is not self that I should look to apply the blessings in Scriptures to. It is not my perspective that is important. It is God’s. My perspective is important in shaping what I believe, but looking at the Word through His eyes is what I need to do. It is the only way I can show God to my children. It is the only way I can stop stomping my foot and demanding my way over my husband’s or my children’s. It is the only way I can be an example of a woman of God, Help Meet to my husband and lover of my children. I know it is my lifelong journey, and I want to fulfill this purpose. And, we have by no means arrived, nor am I saying that our particular journey is the only way to become who God has created woman to be.
Last year I opened a blog on homesteadblogger entitled Training Daughters, Teaching Wives. My intention was to blog about things we had learned or were learning on this journey we have made in becoming Godly women. We were going to be reading Created To be his HelpMeet together, and I thought we could post about it on there. Though we do not blog on it regularly, the TDTW blog has become a little blog compilation of some of our posts,
Instead of worrying about keeping up the blog, I created the Training Daughters, Teaching Wives blogroll. The TDTW blogroll is for moms training their daughters in the Biblical admonishment of training our daughters in the Word and for women teaching wives in the Titus 2 admonishment for the older to teach the younger. Of course, as we train our daughters, we will begin to teach them about being a Godly wife.
We have many wonderful blogs of on the blogroll already. If you are interested in joining the TDTW blogroll please contact me. Adding the blogroll to your blog will not automatically add you to the blogroll itself! I will contact you with the code after taking a look at your blog. :))
"The TDTW blogroll is for moms training their children in the Biblical admonishment of training our children in the Word and for women teaching wives in the Titus 2 admonishment for the older to teach the younger. When I started blogging, I thought being a part of a blogroll was just a great way to get my blog url on a bunch of other blogs. After blogging for the past two years and seeing the influences of blogs and bloggers on adults and children alike, I have come to realize the responsibility I have in linking to sites. The TDTW blogroll is not just for Mommas; it is also for daughters. I do not at all expect to administrate anyone's blog content at all, but I can choose to which blogs and sites I am linked to and endorse.
I will only place blogs on the blogroll that are safe for all eyes to read, including daughters. I do realize that there are posts sometimes that Mommas blog that may not be for young ladies, and that is understandable and acceptable. If you could put a warning on that post, I would greatly appreciate it!
I reserve the right to deem what is appropriate according to my convictions and interpretation of the Word. I am, however, open to your understanding, and you are welcome to email me if you have anything you would like to tell me. :)
Also, the blogroll is a reciprocal link. If you are linked on it, you *must* link the blogroll in your sidebar. Feel free to link it on a links page, but it must also be in your sidebar. You will be added after the blogroll is found in your sidebar.
Anyone interested in joining the blogroll will need to contact me if they would like to be added to the blogroll. Adding the blogroll to their blog will not automatically add them to the blogroll itself! They will need to contact me, and then I will add a blog and contact the owner with the code after taking a look at the blog. :)) "
Please be sure to invite whom you think may be interested in joining.
I am sincerely heart broken. I recently found out that one of my friends, who got married just last August, who is only 20 is divorced. How sad. The poor girl. It breaks my heart, because she is a friend. This could have all been avoided had her parents done the right thing. Please keep her in your prayers.
Last summer, she was supposed to get married. I did not receive an invitation, so I didn’t know for sure if she had indeed been married. The plan that I was told was that they would get married in August, and then go to college. So I did not see her for many months. I did think she got married.
Well when school got out, I saw her at her parents home all the time. I wondered if maybe she hadn’t gotten married. I saw her “husband” at his parent’s house also. (they live down the street.) It had been nagging me for some time to find out what had happened. I was not close with her, so I didn’t just call her up, being as I wasn’t invited to the wedding. But it was really something I wanted to know. I truly care for this girl, and did want to be a friend to her. So weeks went by and I still saw her at her house.
Last week, when Mom went to Dollar General to get some things, and she was there. She was now working there. So they established who Mom was, and then she asked after me (I was not there). So Mom came home, told me she saw her, and I asked Mom if she had asked her if she was a happy wife. Mom said no, and then I asked if she saw a ring. Mom said, she didn’t think so.
So I went into DG the other day, and she was at the register. While we were in line she saw me and waved and said hello, being as there were people in front of me. When I got up to her, she asked how I was, I asked how she was, she commented on what I was buying, junk food. She asked if we were going on a picnic, I said no we were just going to watch a movie. She said that sounded like fun. She was really sincere and I know she really cared to know how I was. Then I asked her if she got married. She said yes, with a smile. Then the smile faded, she lowered her voice and said , “but we got divorced.” My heart shattered for her. I had tears in my eyes. I had so not wanted to hear those words. I thought I had prepared myself for them, but when I heard them I was set back. She then went on to tell me that he was abusive to her and she was better off without him. I was so sad. I said how sorry I was. She finished checking me out, and as I went to grab my bags, I told her I would be praying for her.
Oh!! I was so upset. I got to the van and just cried. I was so taken back. All the way home, all I could think was “how could her parents let her marry him??”
I know for a fact her parents knew he was abusive. Her sister knew. When they got engaged, her sister told me that she hoped they wouldn’t get married, because he was mean to her.
Her parents were supposed to protect her and they didn’t. How could you let your daughter marry a man like that??
I got home and told Mom, and started crying again. It was so sad.
I have been thinking about her ever since. I cannot imagine what she is going through. I know she thought that this was “the one”. It breaks my heart.
I told Mom that when anyone has an interest in me, she had better make sure that she knows him. KNOWS HIM. All about him. I DO NOT want to end up like that. It’s not that I am afraid I will, because I believe God has a plan for my life. But it is a very important decision and I want to be sure without a doubt that he is the one.
Mothers and Fathers, you have an obligation, and a charge that God has given you. The charge to protect your daughters from ending up like this. I pray for all of the parents out there that when the time comes for your daughter to get married, that you will have inspected every aspect of her betrothed’s life. Talk to his parents about his attitudes, tempers, thoughts, lifestyle. Don’t just have your him come to you and ask for your permission to marry your daughter and say yes. Look into him. Make sure he will love your daughter all the days. He will treat her like a queen, and make her happy. Pray with your daughter everyday, that the one who comes for her is the one who God has chosen for her.
My prayer is that only one man comes to ask for me hand. The One. I don’t want to have many suitors to choose from. I want the one God has chosen. I want him to be the only one. I don’t want many because that means that they are not protecting their hearts for their wives they are looking for mine, which isn’t theirs. I don’t want to cause my brother to sin, by him thinking he loves me when God has someone else for him.
I am counting on my parents to make sure that whoever comes is the right one. They are my protectors til he does come. I trust they will follow God’s guidance in this decision.
Speaking of trusting your parents... One of the blogging rules at our house is to have your posts typed up beforehand. I am so thankful that is the rule. I was not able to get on the pc today before now. I was really worried that I would not have very much time to blog cause I would need to type something up. So when I came to my folder, I found some posts that I had typed up last week, when I had the time. I am so thankful that Mom made that rule. God knew we would have days when we couldn't get on to blog, so I am thankful that Mom listened to Him, when he told her that that was going to be one of the rules.
Being obedient is to MOST important thing. It is not something I am good at, but I am hoping and striving to getting better.
Being obedient when your parents are helping you find your future spouse, TRUST them and OBEY them with all your heart. It will turn out right in the end, if you do what your are supposed to!!
As Always...
I would love to see a post about "feminist habits".........
I was raised in the era of "woman power"then into the 80's the decade of greed, then the 90's the BEGINNING of the "age of entitlement'......
I am sure that I have some deep rooted 'feminist habits' I am either not aware of, or haven't given up, and I would love to start working on that.
Thanks
Laura
Laura would like to know about "feminist habits". I know what she means. I just learned about this myself in the past few years. What a disservice was done to the women as feminism took over and women were made to appear equal to men!
I don't want to be equal to men!
Does that mean I have to open the door for them now? Our air conditioner went out... do I need to get out there and 'fix it myself'? I am absolutely for men being gentlemen and totally against men being or feeling superior to women, but, why wouldn't I want to have a man to care for me?
God specifically tells Adam in Genesis that he will be the Provider and Eve will bear the children. Her desire will be toward him, even though that will bring the pain of childbirth. Sarah wasn't submissive to Abraham because of their culture; she was submissive because she knew that she was under God's authority, which meant she was under Abraham's authority. That is God's plan. She wasn't some backwards, ignorant woman devoid of any spiritual understanding or self-esteem. She saw how God worked. She believed in Him and trusted Him. She was human, of course, but she was a woman as God designed.
Am I capable of taking care of myself? Absolutely. Could I take care of myself, my home, my children, my animals, *and* have a job so I can take care of our bills? Of course I could! But, why on earth would I want to? Why would I want to spend my days alone when God has designed someone just for me to care for me and our children? Well, I don't.
I want to live under God's protection, in His plan, according to His Word. That means that men and women are equal, as He is no respecter of persons, and it also means that men are the heads of the home. It's God plan to protect the wife and the family. It doesn't make sense to me, but, hey, I am just me. God's Ways are higher than my ways. They are also higher then any other human's. If only we could keep that in mind when we start demanding our rights and all our wisdom.
Debi Pearl does give a very good description of Jezebel in the Bible and how women today have the Jezebel spirit. I do agree with Debi on this point: women do think they have to spiritually direct their husbands. That is unbiblical. Ok, it's in the Bible, but it is NOT God's plan for woman. How did Jezebel live? and how did Jezebel die? Look it up: 2Kings 9
Jezebel is also spoken of in Revelation.
Blessings!
-Jacque
I was looking over the Wisdom Unit Study by Heart of Wisdom, and I came across one of the many profound things it says that I want to share. So, here's something to chew on...
"Almost anyone can gain the the necessary scholastic achievement to become a doctor or a businessman, etc. But is it truly achievement if they become a crooked doctor or businessman? What good is it to know 5 languages if one does not have tongue control? What good is it to read Greek Literature if one does not know the Proverbs of Solomon?What good is it to be proficient in accounting if one cheats on income taxes? What good is it to know the meaning of every word on the SAT vocabulary list if one does not know how to give a kind word?"
What good does it do if a man gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness,
not false accusers,
not given to much wine,
teachers of good things;
4 That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands,
to love their children,
5 To be discreet,
chaste,
keepers at home,
good,
obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.
6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works:
in doctrine shewing uncorruptness,
gravity,
sincerity,
8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned;
that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Did you notice that mathematics, english, science, history, college, a high-paying job, etc. are not what we are told to excel in or live?
I am not a very patient Mom a lot of times. I want things done correctly and properly. I get upset when things aren't done 'just right', because I don't have time to do them over or talk about it *again*.
I thought the other day, though, "Would I rather raise a bunch of geniuses or a bunch whose hearts are after the One True God's?" Not a tough decision.
So, Mom, get over it. Ok. Somewhere else I have work to do and me to change. No biggie, I'll just add it to the list!
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.
Exodus 20:1-17 The Ten Commandments
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.
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.
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I am a wife of 19 years and homeschool mom with 8 children, trying my best to learn and teach them the ways of the Lord. We are Bible-first eclectic homeschoolers. Our oldest is 18, and our youngest is 14 months. We enjoy living on 2 1/2 acres where we home birth, garden and raise goats and chickens. I created this blog to share with my daughters and friends what we learn and struggle with as wives, mothers and daughters following the Lord and His Word for our roles as Believers so that we may gain wisdom from each other. Join us in our adventure called life. Welcome!
We started doing things that the world no longer holds in high regard. We were so thrilled to learn them and enjoy each other and have something to show for it. We were blessed to make quilts and include it as a part of their learning. We started sewing. We spent time scrapbooking together. We had home births with our sixth and seventh children and welcomed two new sons into the family together as a family affair. We bought two goats and became interested in homesteading. There were still rebellion issues with the girls, but God walked us through them. He kept us close through the anger and hurt and brought us closer than we had ever been. He had a purpose.
